Mike Temporale, Windows Mobile MVP and Editor in Chief on Mobile Jaw, has published a great review about the T-Mobile Dash 3G. The T-Mobile Dash 3G is a special for T-Mobile customized version of the HTC Snap. I’m very curious about Mike Temporale’s opinion and the differences between the original HTC Snap and the T-Mobile Dash 3G.
Mike Temporale has a good at some of the details, and he remarks:
“First, the scroll speed on the trackball by default, is slower than I would have liked. I changed it from Normal to Fast and that made it more responsive. The other thing that caught my attention is the mouse pointer that appears when you open IE Mobile. I changed the speed of the trackball for IE as well, but still found the trackball to be very unresponsive in IE Mobile. Once you learn that the trackball doesn’t support diagonal motion, you start to get better response out of it. At that point, two swipes would get me all the way across the screen.”
These are facts that sound familiar, but they can easily be adjusted and have a dedicated place in the settings-menu on the T-Mobile Dash 3G or HTC Snap. Despite not completely removed in concept, I do miss the “link-hopping-functionality” in Internet Explorer 6 for Mobile.
T-Mobile Dash 3G vs HTC Snap – Comparing keyboards
One of the key-features of the T-Mobile Dash 3G or HTC Snap is the offset full QWERTY hardware-keyboard, making it a perfect business messenger. The picture below provides the keyboards of the T-Mobile Dash 3G (left) and the HTC Snap (right) side by side to make an easy comparison.
“The offset keys on the QWERTY keyboard are a pleasure to type on and have a good feel to them. I’m not sold on the location of the number pad on the keyboard. Because the keyboard is offset, the number pad doesn’t line up in the regular manner. It’s not the end of the world, but if I’m not looking at the device and I’m trying to dial, the numbers aren’t where I expect to find them. It will take a little getting use to.”
To be more precise the top row of numeric keys has been shifted one position to the left in comparison with the HTC Snap keyboard. But more keys and key-actions are shuffeled a little on the T-Mobile Dash 3G.
At first the tab-key has been moved onto the 0-key, probably due to some complains of people hitting the tab-key instead of the A-key on the HTC Snap, however this is a scenario where you easily get used to if you think a little when you type.
Second the key to easily switch your profile and the #-key have been moved to the sym-key, while the all the special characters (in red) are also shuffeled.
Third the special dedicated hardware keys to open the camera application, and the e-mail application have also been moved. In addition there is nog dedicated key to launch Windows Live Messenger for Mobile, while the Inner Circle functionality is also absent.
Finally I’m really curious what the hardware key on the bottom right (on the T-Mobile Dash 3G) is for. I would guess that it’s closely related to the T-Mobile customizations in the software, perhaps someone can tell.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcZ7_X_4lM8
Video by Matthew Miller from The Mobile Gadgeteer (ZDNet)
T-Mobile customizations in on-device software
Vincent Nguyen, Editor of PhoneMag, has also published a very extensive review of the T-Mobile Dash 3G, which includes complementary pictures of the T-Mobile Dash 3G and an unboxing video.
“T-Mobile deliver the Dash 3G pre-loaded with AIM, Windows Live, GTalk, and Yahoo! and MySpace IM clients, and you also get the carrier’s MyFaves app to prioritize certain contacts.”
My main question is if you need all these applications pre-loaded on the T-Mobile Dash 3G. If you don’t use them than it is simply waisted storage in your ROM. Finally the theme is customized in the T-Mobile colors, with a very nice integrated custom MyFaves sliding panel. If you know any additional customizations on the T-Mobile Dash 3G, please drop a comment below.
Wrap-up
In order to wrap up I would like to tart with Mike Temporale’s conclusion:
“Overall, I think that HTC has done a real solid job on this device. The trackball makes a wonderful addition for faster navigation and browsing. If you get a chance, it’s worth taking a look at this new Smartphone from HTC.”
I personally agree with him that HTC did a fantastic job in the hardware design of the T-Mobile Dash 3G and HTC Snap, especially if a full QWERTY hardware keyboard is a highly valued demand for a smartphone. Furthermore it’s clear that T-Mobile has done some significant changes to the T-Mobile Dash 3G in comparison to the HTC Snap, and probably not all are improvements. Weighing and balancing all the customizations I personally have to give the advantage to the original HTC Snap, mainly due to the more “natural” layout of the hardware keyboard and the HTC Inner Circle feature.
Finally I would like you to take some time to read the articles of Mike Temporale, Windows Mobile MVP and Editor in Chief on Mobile Jaw “Taking a Tour of the T-Mobile Dash 3G“, and Vincent Nguyen, Editor of PhoneMag “T-Mobile Dash 3G Review“. If you have the chance to have a short hands-on with the T-Mobile Dash 3G and you need a benchmark with the HTC Snap you might want to spent some time on the article: “HTC Snap review – the ultimate messenger ??“
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