Is anyone else frustrated about the lack of news about the Touch Cruise?

I suppose i am, I live in the UK and i've been using SPV's ( a HTC sold through Orange ) for years now and i'd like to know if Orange will start supplying the Touch Cruise as they do now use the actual HTC brand name rather than SPV. They have the Touch so it can only be a matter of time i hope.

The SIM-free unlocked and factory standard Touch Cruise is due in to us around 18th Jan 2008, a week away.

Orange normally lag behind 2-3 months as they prefer to customise the ROM to show their logos, set their MMS/GPRS/Internet/3G settings as default and to lock it to Orange, just as the customised versions of these type of devices by O2, Vodafone and others do.

Therefore, if Orange plan to do it at all, at least you now have a ticking clock rather than no information at all.

 

Regards

Ivan

 

I read here that the Touch Cruise was available at Devicewire, however, I can't access the Devicewire site.  Is it down?  Is it somehow restricted when accessing via the US?  Have tried the .co.uk link as well as devicewire.com, no luck :(

Hi,

I have just checked with the MIS team and they say there were no issues with our ISP (Verizon UK) or the site. I do not know why you could not access it.

HTC brought in an advance shipment of the devices, all 300 were sold and shipped last thursday and friday.

More stock is due in very shortly. If you visit the site and click on the device, you will be able to place a backorder for it and will be assured of a unit when they arrive. The next stock is due around 5th February, but obviously we would advise to place a backorder sooner rather than later in order to be first to be shipped.

http://www.devicewire.co.uk/HTC-Touch-Cruise

Kind Regards

Ivan

Devicewire

Will it be possible to use your finger to enter text when writing a text message and typing urls when web browsing or do you have to use a stylus?

Also does anyone know if  HTC have any plans to make a sliding keypad version similar to the Touch Dual? 

Hi,

As with 99.9% of all touchscreen devices, you can use a fingernail in place of the stylus, or any pointed object that will not scratch the screen, to tap away at the onscreen keyboard.

If you meant can you make shapes to recognise letters with your fingernail or fingertip, yes, WM6 includes the text recognition software, but I'd guess 90%+ of people find this awkward and a tad unrealiable and requiring corrections, making it faster to tap the onscreen keyboard.

Regards,

Ivan

Devicewire

Sorry  my mistake I wasn't really clear about what I meant. I was more concerned about whether the "keys/buttons" will be of a decent size to actually use your finger as I don't want to have to use a stylus for writing text messages or entering urls.

Quick answer is no. The main icons within the HTC front-page theme are clickable with a fingertip, but the onscreen keyboard is far too small. I have brilliantly managed to lose my stylus (awaiting first delivery of spares!) and find even with good nails, selecting SMS, navigating menus and the like is tricky. If I've cut my nails, especially index, middle finger and thumb, it's hard. If you have hands that didn't do dishes, (UK joke) then you will need the stylus.

This is one area the apple iphone has scored in, a much larger onscreen keyboard and icons.

The HTC devices can obviously have a bigger onscreen keyboard downloaded from software vendors worldwide, but this helps sms and text entry, it doesn't help with menu navigation much.

 

Upshot: people with medium sized hands and nice fingernails can use the unit without the stylus, everyone else will get frustrated. If you use a lot of texts and data entry, buying a third party onscreen keyboard program may save your day without spending the whopping money of a 18 month iphone contract.

Regards

 

Ivan 

Okay thanks for that.

I don't really want an iphone as I think that they are crap!

Considering how much they cost and are supposed to be at the cutting edge of technology I think its bad that they don't support simple things such as 3g or that its not possible to send files via bluetooth.

Do you know exactly where I can purchase third party larger onscreen keyboards from please?

hi

can you please recommend a third party software that i can use for virtual keyboard with the Cruise ?

thanks

Alon

Hi,

 

I placed an order on a touch cruise on devicewire and I was wondering, since I have seen that it is already available on other websites, if it will ship before the 8th as stated on the main webpage.

 

Cheers,

Andreas 

I ordered one 10 days back got the email that it has been fulfilled Thursday am just waiting for the delivery, but i can't tract the delivery.

 Will i have to wait until the 8th for it to ship?