HTC Trophy User Impressions

[M_Lyons10]

Hi everyone, I'm looking at the HTC Trophy, and was wondering what those of you that have purchased it thought of it. I had been hoping for a Super AMOLED screen, but the phone seems to feel sturdy. So, what does everyone think about it? How is the battery life, etc.? I'm particularly concerned about the battery. I believe this screen is LCD, so it should drain the (already meager) battery quicker than an AMOLED would...

Thanks,

[~Johnny]

Hi everyone, I'm looking at the HTC Trophy, and was wondering what those of you that have purchased it thought of it. I had been hoping for a Super AMOLED screen, but the phone seems to feel sturdy. So, what does everyone think about it? How is the battery life, etc.? I'm particularly concerned about the battery. I believe this screen is LCD, so it should drain the (already meager) battery quicker than an AMOLED would...

Thanks,

It's certainly a nice device - it's not top of the range, but it's fast, it feels comfy if your hand, and it has a nice speaker, and good battery life. Don't sorry too much about the screen, the power usage is offset slightly by the fact that the screen is smaller than the Focus' 4" SAMOLED, You can get a good day out of a Trophy without running out of juice. The only technical downside is the slower memory read speed than LG & Samsung devices - games, apps and thumbnails will simply take longer to load.

It's not the best, but it's certainly not a bad device.

[jasonon]

The Trophy is a stellar device! Smooth OS and feels solid and nice! I just got mine yesterday, you should pick one up too, just watch out for those Verizon reps ;)

[M_Lyons10]

Thanks for the responses. Given your use of the phone, how long does the battery generally last? Do you get a full day with reasonable usage? It does feel like a solid device.

It's a shame about the SD card being slower than Samsung and LG are using. Will this be noticeable?

Thanks Again,

[adam7288]

Hey I went from having an Iphone for 3 years and took the dive with an HTC Trophy. I hate being a part of Apples ecosystem, and REALLY wanted to root for the underdog...I gave it a real fair chance.

7 days later I returned it for an Iphone. Why?

As snazzy as the WP7 ui is, and as much as I appreciate the thoughtful design, it takes twice as long to complete simple tasks. For instance, adding a contact, requires significantly more steps to achieve. Of course, I made sure I got very good at the phone before I made a comparison, to assure I was not being biased. The phone itself feels quite cheap, even the built in Slacker radio application which is preinstalled, is inferior to the Iphone version. Everything about it was a downgrade.

I wanted to like this phone, but in the end, the Iphone is the best in the market, for now (hopefully).

BTW - Zune sync app is bloated, slow, and confusing. Itunes sucks, but this is worse.

[bguy_1986]

Hey I went from having an Iphone for 3 years and took the dive with an HTC Trophy. I hate being a part of Apples ecosystem, and REALLY wanted to root for the underdog...I gave it a real fair chance.

7 days later I returned it for an Iphone. Why?

As snazzy as the WP7 ui is, and as much as I appreciate the thoughtful design, it takes twice as long to complete simple tasks. For instance, adding a contact, requires significantly more steps to achieve. Of course, I made sure I got very good at the phone before I made a comparison, to assure I was not being biased. The phone itself feels quite cheap, even the built in Slacker radio application which is preinstalled, is inferior to the Iphone version. Everything about it was a downgrade.

I wanted to like this phone, but in the end, the Iphone is the best in the market, for now (hopefully).

BTW - Zune sync app is bloated, slow, and confusing. Itunes sucks, but this is worse.

Maybe after wp7.5 comes out it'll be better. I can't wait to get one, but when good phones are supposed to come out sometime around september, It's worth the wait. And with Windows phone, its going to depend on what brand of phone you get. Iphones are pretty much all the same. Windows and Droid phones you can purchase a cheaper slower phone, or a more powerful phone. (I'm pretty sure you know that, but just making the point that it probably isn't the OS fault... You could have waited and possibly got a phone that is more of what you were looking for).

[jasonon]

Thanks for the responses. Given your use of the phone, how long does the battery generally last? Do you get a full day with reasonable usage? It does feel like a solid device.

It's a shame about the SD card being slower than Samsung and LG are using. Will this be noticeable?

Thanks Again,

Dispite what the above poster said being partly true, the phone is still a great choice. The battery will last all day if you aren't playing on apps for an extended period of time, as I am yet to run out of juice before I plug it in at night.

I'm really looking forward to the Mango update, it will definately propell the platform to be much more competitive.

Good luck with your phone buying ventures, my friend!

Jason

[adam7288]

Maybe after wp7.5 comes out it'll be better. I can't wait to get one, but when good phones are supposed to come out sometime around september, It's worth the wait. And with Windows phone, its going to depend on what brand of phone you get. Iphones are pretty much all the same. Windows and Droid phones you can purchase a cheaper slower phone, or a more powerful phone. (I'm pretty sure you know that, but just making the point that it probably isn't the OS fault... You could have waited and possibly got a phone that is more of what you were looking for).

The reason for my change of heart had mostly to do with the OS. It is eye catching, beautiful, minimalist. It is just not EFFICIENT. Things take longer to accomplish. I'm telling you as someone who has actually used WP7 and not just watched cool demos on youtube.

[Mountain Dew]

The reason for my change of heart had mostly to do with the OS. It is eye catching, beautiful, minimalist. It is just not EFFICIENT. Things take longer to accomplish. I'm telling you as someone who has actually used WP7 and not just watched cool demos on youtube.

Unless things have changed you have between 2 weeks to a month (depending on carrier) to test a device before return.

5-7 days is not enough time to get familiar with a new product unless you're specifically using it 24/7 with almost nothing else going on.

That said, I've had a ton of experience with phones of all varieties having worked in the industry for quite some time & to be honest my preference is WP7. Some tasks may be 'more steps' but those additional steps can save me some steps later as compared to the other OS's on the market.

So it's a trade off. More steps upfront vs more steps later on.

There's also the integration into the entire MS ecosystem. Right now that's lacking somewhat with the competition.

[mArcade]

That said, I've had a ton of experience with phones of all varieties having worked in the industry for quite some time & to be honest my preference is WP7. Some tasks may be 'more steps' but those additional steps can save me some steps later as compared to the other OS's on the market.

So it's a trade off. More steps upfront vs more steps later on.

This. I would have to agree. And I think MS is only going to improve that.

[-=Outlaw=-]

Hey I went from having an Iphone for 3 years and took the dive with an HTC Trophy. I hate being a part of Apples ecosystem, and REALLY wanted to root for the underdog...I gave it a real fair chance.

7 days later I returned it for an Iphone. Why?

As snazzy as the WP7 ui is, and as much as I appreciate the thoughtful design, it takes twice as long to complete simple tasks. For instance, adding a contact, requires significantly more steps to achieve. Of course, I made sure I got very good at the phone before I made a comparison, to assure I was not being biased. The phone itself feels quite cheap, even the built in Slacker radio application which is preinstalled, is inferior to the Iphone version. Everything about it was a downgrade.

I wanted to like this phone, but in the end, the Iphone is the best in the market, for now (hopefully).

BTW - Zune sync app is bloated, slow, and confusing. Itunes sucks, but this is worse.

Adding new contacts is pretty simple. You click on People Hub, Click on + (to add new contact) enter the name and number then you click on save and you are done. What is so long and slow about that lol?

Zune slow? on my pc it is more than twice as fast as itunes. not confusing at all, i have no idea what you are talking about.

i've been using WP7 since it came out.

[adam7288]

Adding new contacts is pretty simple. You click on People Hub, Click on + (to add new contact) enter the name and number then you click on save and you are done. What is so long and slow about that lol?

Zune slow? on my pc it is more than twice as fast as itunes. not confusing at all, i have no idea what you are talking about.

i've been using WP7 since it came out.

I'm sorry I have to disagree. The iPhone requires less button presses, task for task, as well as not having an eye pleasing, yet delaying 1.5 second animation between *every* step. Its just not as thoughtfully designed as iOS. I am not a mac user, and have never bought into Apple's crap. 7 days is enough to get the lay of the land. Just compare for instance the slacker radio clients between the two. No comparison. I wish the truth was different.

The only exception I will give you is the camera app - very cool to switch between photo mgmt and live camera mode with one swipe. Otherwise, iOS has a higher degree of fit and finish, hands down. Have any of you who say I am wrong ever used iOS for a lengthy period of time?

[~Johnny]

I'm sorry I have to disagree. The iPhone requires less button presses, task for task, as well as not having an eye pleasing, yet delaying 1.5 second animation between *every* step. Its just not as thoughtfully designed as iOS. I am not a mac user, and have never bought into Apple's crap. 7 days is enough to get the lay of the land. Just compare for instance the slacker radio clients between the two. No comparison. I wish the truth was different.

The only exception I will give you is the camera app - very cool to switch between photo mgmt and live camera mode with one swipe. Otherwise, iOS has a higher degree of fit and finish, hands down. Have any of you who say I am wrong ever used iOS for a lengthy period of time?

I don't know, I've found pretty much all social networking tasks quicker on Windows Phone 7, all photo & camera related tasks quicker on Windows Phone 7, contacting my favourite contacts, found working with my calender faster, etc. So contacts might take a tap or two extra to make - after that it's more or less the same - and I can directly write on peoples Facebook Walls from my contact book and things like that :p

[Mockingbird]

Hi everyone, I'm looking at the HTC Trophy, and was wondering what those of you that have purchased it thought of it. I had been hoping for a Super AMOLED screen, but the phone seems to feel sturdy. So, what does everyone think about it? How is the battery life, etc.? I'm particularly concerned about the battery. I believe this screen is LCD, so it should drain the (already meager) battery quicker than an AMOLED would...

Thanks,

Well, my friend have a HTC Trophy and I've a Samsung Focus. While the AMOLED screen is definitely more vibrant, I am experiencing screen burn-in. Of cause LCD screen is not susceptible to screen burn, but the HTC uses regular LCD instead of the SLCD in the Trophy which is not very vibrant.

Battery life is not much of an issue because the screen is rather small. The same battery is also used in the HTC HD7 which has a much larger screen causing battery issue, but not for the HTC Trophy smaller screen.

Also, it's not true at all that AMOLED screen use less battery: it is quite a battery hog.

That said, the camera on the Trophy (like any HTC camera) is absolutely atrocious.

[~Johnny]

Also, it's not true at all that AMOLED screen use less battery: it is quite a battery hog.

In typical usage, especially using the black theme, in the majority of WP7 tasks apart from web browsing and office, SMOLED has notably less power drain, varying from 20-40% less power drain, reaching height of over 70%.

In fact, nearly every shade uses less power on SMOLED than LCD's, and given WP7's penchant for black, it works very well.

When you start hitting predominately white screens however, which only happens usually in webbrowsing & document tasks - SAMOLED can use around 130 - 170% the power of a LCD, depending on the site. If it's a lot of whitespace there'll be more power drain. If there son't a lot of white space, or the background is a darker shade, webbrowsing will take less power on SAMOLED. Depends on your usage patterns, though genreally most people will find SAMOLEDs power saving advantageous.

[M_Lyons10]

Thanks everyone for all of your responses, I greatly appreciate the candid reviews. It's tough to trust reviews anymore when they're not generally from people that actually own the phones...

I went ahead and placed an order for the HTC Trophy and it should be here Monday. I'm very excited to start using it and upgrading from my current device. :)

Thanks Again,

[George P Global Moderator]

I think as far as tasks and button press between WP7 and iOS etc that with Mango things will look pretty different. Expanding the hubs to support more things and also with the multitasking changes I really don't see how anything could be done faster on an iPhone vs WP7 after Mango lands.

[Mountain Dew]

Well, my friend have a HTC Trophy and I've a Samsung Focus. While the AMOLED screen is definitely more vibrant, I am experiencing screen burn-in. Of cause LCD screen is not susceptible to screen burn, but the HTC uses regular LCD instead of the SLCD in the Trophy which is not very vibrant.

Battery life is not much of an issue because the screen is rather small. The same battery is also used in the HTC HD7 which has a much larger screen causing battery issue, but not for the HTC Trophy smaller screen.

Also, it's not true at all that AMOLED screen use less battery: it is quite a battery hog.

That said, the camera on the Trophy (like any HTC camera) is absolutely atrocious.

LCD is susceptible to screen burn in. In fact I see it all the time in electronics stores because of their screens displaying repetitive screen data.

AMOLED is actually far less susceptible to it because the pixels are only powered as much as they need to be to display an image. If they are black they are actually off.

Also I don't know why you say they don't use SLCD as the US & current shipping EU versions do. Early EU units shipped with LCD, but it was later updated to SLCD in later shipments.

In short, your entire post is backwards...

[~Johnny]

LCD is susceptible to screen burn in. In fact I see it all the time in electronics stores because of their screens displaying repetitive screen data.

AMOLED is actually far less susceptible to it because the pixels are only powered as much as they need to be to display an image. If they are black they are actually off.

Also I don't know why you say they don't use SLCD as the US & current shipping EU versions do. Early EU units shipped with LCD, but it was later updated to SLCD in later shipments.

In short, your entire post is backwards...

SAMOLED is actually very, very susceptible to short-term burn in, and even long term due to it's organic build up, unlike LCD. On high brightness, leaving any bright text / obexts on the screen for even 10 seconds will leave a faint ghost image behind when you switch to another screen, though it'll fade out within another 10 seconds, it's just something you don't get on LCDs. Standard LCD's on modern smartphones are virtually oblivious to burn-in. And the only HTC units shipping with SLCD are HTC Mozart and HD7S, Trophy ships with just a standard LCD.

[BajiRav]

Hey I went from having an Iphone for 3 years and took the dive with an HTC Trophy. I hate being a part of Apples ecosystem, and REALLY wanted to root for the underdog...I gave it a real fair chance.

7 days later I returned it for an Iphone. Why?

As snazzy as the WP7 ui is, and as much as I appreciate the thoughtful design, it takes twice as long to complete simple tasks. For instance, adding a contact, requires significantly more steps to achieve. Of course, I made sure I got very good at the phone before I made a comparison, to assure I was not being biased. The phone itself feels quite cheap, even the built in Slacker radio application which is preinstalled, is inferior to the Iphone version. Everything about it was a downgrade.

I wanted to like this phone, but in the end, the Iphone is the best in the market, for now (hopefully).

BTW - Zune sync app is bloated, slow, and confusing. Itunes sucks, but this is worse.

I call bull**** on that, it's doesn't take any longer to add a new contact than it takes on iOS. Can you describe how you add a contact on iOS vs. on WP7? The OS is miles more responsive than iOS already so not sure why it was a downgrade.

[Mountain Dew]

SAMOLED is actually very, very susceptible to short-term burn in, and even long term due to it's organic build up, unlike LCD. On high brightness, leaving any bright text / obexts on the screen for even 10 seconds will leave a faint ghost image behind when you switch to another screen, though it'll fade out within another 10 seconds, it's just something you don't get on LCDs. Standard LCD's on modern smartphones are virtually oblivious to burn-in. And the only HTC units shipping with SLCD are HTC Mozart and HD7S, Trophy ships with just a standard LCD.

Actually no, no it's not, which is the reason why Microsoft chose to go with OLED for the Zune HD series, and why they prefer OLED screens for all kinds of devices.

It's a rumor that's gone around for years, just like the rumor that OLED screens are more washed out than LCD screens in sunlight, which isn't possible because of how the technology works. It's a placebo effect if you think otherwise.

Also there's more than that as the HTC Trophy & the HTC Arrive (aka 7 Pro) also have SLCD screens. I should know...I own an Arrive.

Now if you want to talk about image persistence due to the varying times in the breakdown of the organic dyes then I'm more than willing to entertain that discussion. Screen burn however (which is not the same) isn't an issue.

[Lunfai]

I call bull**** on that, it's doesn't take any longer to add a new contact than it takes on iOS. Can you describe how you add a contact on iOS vs. on WP7? The OS is miles more responsive than iOS already so not sure why it was a downgrade.

My WP7 did take longer then adding a contact on iOS, purely because the responsiveness of the apps in iOS was very fluid, no noticeable loading. I open phone app type number in, the on the keypad there's also an add contact button and tap that type name and done. It is faster, but I think its silly to compare these two markets since I think the devices have different adoption qualities.

iOS is very user friendly and that's why it's so popular, and it's already built a foundation and ofcourse shoot me now, revolutionizes the mobile market, the first iPhone not the sucesccesors. Windows phone 6 was a horrid comparison when you tried to compare the two. WP7 fixes a lot of those problem with a very fluid UI, but I think its took too long to push to the market. Adoption rates have already built a Market share with android and iOS, and it could be difficult for wp7 to gain momentum.

Anyhow, WP7 is diffently an improvement, and it's faster in most retrospects, but it seems like the wait for mango will bring a lot of good changes users want.

[BajiRav]

My WP7 did take longer then adding a contact on iOS, purely because the responsiveness of the apps in iOS was very fluid, no noticeable loading. I open phone app type number in, the on the keypad there's also an add contact button and tap that type name and done. It is faster, but I think its silly to compare these two markets since I think the devices have different adoption qualities.

So basically it's same as WP7 and the WP7 is same or better in performance. I don't know what loading you are talking about on WP7 phone "app". There can be legitimate reasons for choosing other phones over WP7 but "it takes longer to do same task" is certainly not one of them as far as the basic phone tasks do.

Rest of your post has no relevance to why WP7 is doing bad or whatever.