HTC Advantage X7501 and AT&T Tilt in harmony

One of the reasons I bought an AT&T Tilt (HTC TyTN II) is that I needed to downgrade my HTC Advantage X7501, which recently proved to be too big and unwieldy for primary cell phone use while traveling. As I explained in my first impressions piece, my search for a smaller yet still powerful mobile device ended with the Tilt.

Although I carry the Tilt with me more easily and frequently, it hasn’t completely replaced the Advantage. In fact, while packing my carry-on for a flight to Los Angeles today, it was with no hesitation that I grabbed both devices and headed out the door.

At a glance and aside from their obvious difference in size, it’s easy to think of the Advantage and Tilt as being rather redundant. Both run Windows Mobile 6 Professional and share a somewhat similar form factor, after all, so there’s bound to be some definite overlap in functions.

While the devices do have much in common, they are also quite different.

	HTC Advantage X7501	AT&T Tilt
OS:	Windows Mobile 6.0 Professional
Processor:	624MHz Intel XScale PXA270	400MHz Qualcomm MSM7200
Memory:	256MB ROM, 128MB RAM
Microdrive:	8GB	---
Expansion:	miniSD card slot	microSD card slot
Connectivity:	802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.0, GPS
Network:	Tri-band UMTS/HSDPA Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE
Camera:	3 megapixels (with flash)	3 megapixels (no flash)
Display:	5.0" VGA touchscreen (640 x 480, 65K colors)	2.8" QVGA touchscreen (240 x 320, 65K colors)
Dimensions:	5.26" x 3.86" x 0.63" (0.79" thick w/keyboard)	4.4" x 2.3" x 0.73"
Weight:	12.7 ounces	6.0 ounces
Battery:	2200mAh li-ion up to 5.5 hours talk time up to 12.5 days standby	1320mAh li-ion up to 4 hours talk time up to 8 days standby

In addition to the specs shown above, the Tilt and Advantage differ in some of their preinstalled software. For example, the Advantage comes with both Internet Explorer Mobile (IEM) and Opera Mobile; the Tilt ships with just IEM. Conversely, the Tilt has Sprite Backup and a pile of AT&T crapware while the Advantage does not.

Complementary Usage

The cumulative strength in these differences is what allows me to use both devices not just separately, but together.

My only activated SIM is now devoted to the Tilt, so doing anything phone- or HSDPA-related on the Advantage is no longer possible. Because of its versatility and capabilities, though, the limited connectivity (wi-fi and Bluetooth are still available) actually doesn’t negatively impact its usage scenarios.

In fact, even with no connectivity, the two units still manage to complement each other nicely:

• While I wrote this on the plane this afternoon, my husband partially recreated my previous mobile entertainment scenario with the Advantage after his PMP’s battery died. Seeing him play some of my favorite Windows Mobile games made me put my Vaio TZ aside and play the same games on the Tilt. We were able to compare techniques and challenge each other without having to wirelessly connect (impossible to do on a plane, anyway).
• Since the Advantage has a massive 8GB microdrive, I routinely use it as testing ground for applications and various utilities. Running out of space is never an issue, so I don’t have to be picky about what to install. I can connect to my computer just once and come away with tons of new programs to try. Only the best ones make it to the Tilt.
• Because the units have different processors, I’m able to determine whether a particular program runs slowly on its own or just because it needs more horsepower. If it’s the latter, then I can still use it on the Advantage (rather than not use it at all). This minimizes the possibility of foolishly writing off what is actually an excellent app just because the Tilt can’t handle it.
• Similarly, some programs don’t yet support VGA natively. Before buying the Tilt, I had to pass on a lot of great titles that either only supported QVGA resolutions or displayed VGA scaled (yuck!). Now it’s like having the best of both worlds: power-hungry apps on the Advantage, QVGA-only apps on the Tilt.
• The Advantage can both use and be used as a Bluetooth modem. This means that I could actually use the Tilt as a modem for the Advantage. Normally, I use the Advantage as a modem for my Vaio TZ, so being able to use the Tilt for the Advantage is kind of baffling. I haven't had any reason to test it out yet, but it's nice to know that it could be done. VGA browsing, while not ideal, is certainly much better than QVGA browsing.

They're quite the pair, aren't they?

Comments

[Benz145]

Do you use the Tilt as a modem for your TZ as well? Does one work better than the other? What kind of cellular internet service are you getting with them, EDGE?

[Steve Paine]

Hi Jenn.

Which one do you use for mobile internet? Does the QVGA screen annoy when compared to the VGA of the Advantage?

Steve.

[Jenn]

@ Benz: Yes, now that I keep my SIM in the Tilt, I use it as a modem whenever nothing else is available. One doesn't seem better than the other to me. They're both HSDPA, but the Tilt is only giving 3G for some reason. I kind of always thought of 3G/HSDPA as interchangeable terms, but there are two separate connectivity icons shown in the toolbar (3G and H) on the Advantage. The HSDPA setting that the manual shows should be on the Tilt isn't there. I think it's because I got rid of all the AT&T stuff, though.

Hi Steve. My god, yes! QVGA compared to VGA is atrocious for me. It's funny to think of a VGA screen as a luxury. :-) I don't use either device regularly for mobile internet because I'm actually not a very mobile person! I work from home and don't travel a whole lot, but when I do, I'm armed with either a UMPC or my TZ. For quick web access, any device will do (if wi-fi is available, the iPhone or N800 are preferable), but for real work or extensive browsing, I (like you) need the FIE.

[Stu]

Jenn,

Thanks for the many reviews! I've decided to upgrade my 8525 to the x7501. I made the decision to bypass the tilt all together as it's not that much of a step up from the 8525 and I'm pushing the limits of what I can do with my 8525. Since I work remotely for big blue, this machine seems to be perfect for those times when I can't get to my laptop and am needed at work.

Again, my thanks!

Stu

[Kamal]

The best way I describe tilt as,
"if htc advantage is the daddy of PPCs, then, tytn II/tilt is its small son" :D

Nice review Jenn!

[Vinny]

Hi Jenn I've had my kaiser for almos two months now, regarding the 3g and the H the h appears when you are actually tranferring data and the 3g is like the "standby" icon.

I use it as a modem for my laptop making it a wifi access point so I don't have to actually cable them and I'm getting 1.3 meg down 400k upload speeds in Mexico with telcel.

Vinny

[Warren Loh]

Have you had a chance to review the U810 and compare it with the OQO or the Kohjinsha or Flipstart? I am debating weather to purchase the U810 (either lesser ior higher model within the series) or something else.

Thanks
Warren

[Jenn]

@ Stu: Thanks for your comments. I hope you enjoy your new Advantage. Do you plan to use it as your primary phone as well?

@ Kamal: I like that! I agree that both are currently best-in-breed devices.

@ Vinny: Thanks for the clarification. It seems true for the Advantage, but not the Tilt. I really think it has something to do with the missing "enable HSDPA" setting because the icon always shows 3G. I've heard HSDPA occasionally referred to as 3.5G, so I actually thought that would've been the explanation for the switching icons.

[Sam]

Hi Jenn

I wana buy either of these 2 phones ( advantage or tilt ), my brother has the tilt , and I am using it, the display screen looks too small for windows mobile operating system especially if you open it to use the keyboard, and you click on start.

I see that you bought Advantage x7501 phone first, what made you prefer the advantage phone over the tilt at the begining !!! what were you thinking then !! and is it only its size that you're bothered about !!

I am planning to buy the advantage x7501 and now I am concerned about the size, I now feel like its a little bulking , I don't know if its gonna fit in my back pocket or not lol.

One more thing , the tilt doesn't access facebook as a laptops, it says , it requires a javascript of something , does the x7501 access facebook normatlly !! and can you actually play games with it on facebook like poker, attack and use all the features on facebook like any other laptop.

too many information , hopefully you'll be able to answer some of it at least

thank you
Sam

[Jenn]

Hi Sam. I bought the Advantage first because it came out first. I had been following it since it was first spotted in December 2006 and preordered it as soon as it was available in the U.S. in June 2007. AT&T didn't get the Tilt until October, I think.

You can read more about why I chose the Tilt in my first impressions piece, but the short of it is that I just wanted something smaller to carry with me at all times without sacrificing too much (power and so on).

I'm not sure about the Advantage fitting into a back pocket, but you can see it inside a man's front shirt pocket and pants pocket here.

I don't have a Facebook account or ever visit the site, so I don't know how the Tilt/Advantage experience compares to a desktop/laptop. How the site looks may depend on what browser you use (windows mobile browser comparison here), but it seems to work using Opera Mobile on both devices. I can't get very far into the site without registering for an account, so I don't know how functional it actually is. You may want to download the 30-day free trial of Opera on your brother's Tilt and see how far you can go. The Advantage has more processing power, but Facebook access should be the same on both units since they run on the same OS.

Hope that helps a little. :-)

[Bruno]

Jenn, how exactly do you get the Advantage to use a bluetooth modem? I couldn't find it but it is not unlikly that I have been looking in a completely wrong place :-) Thanks!

[Kevin Neel]

Jenn: Thanks for the thoughts! I'm curious: you prefer the iPhone/N810 when WiFi is available. Why not N810 Bluetooth-tethered to the Tilt?

[Kevin Neel]

Of course, I meant when WiFi is not available...

[Jenn]

Hi Bruno. To use another phone as a BT modem for the Advantage:

1. Go to Start -> Settings -> Connections tab -> Connections.
2. Tap "Add a new modem connection" and give it a name.
3. Choose "Bluetooth" from the "Select a modem" drop-down list.
4. A previously paired phone will appear in "My Connections." To pair a new phone, just click on "Add a new device."
5. Select the phone from the "My Connections" list and enter the required phone number and login info (this is all carrier-specific, I think).

It isn't as straightforward as Internet Sharing, that's for sure, but it's still a nice option to have. I don't see the "Bluetooth DUN" term being used anywhere, but that's what it seems to me to be. Are you going to try it with your Nokia?

[Jenn]

If I don't need a laptop or UMPC, I'll probably do that from now on, Kevin. I didn't have the N810 when I wrote the post, so it wasn't an option at the time. I also had my Vaio TZ with me, so I didn't need anything else for web browsing in the room.

I haven't had a chance to pair anything with the N810 yet but the Tilt will be up first. I'm assuming the 8525 instructions and settings will work...

[Bruno]

Hi Jenn,

many thanks! There is no chance I would have found that out on my own (not with my short attention span anyways).
I do not own anything Nokia I am afraid :-) The thing is that since I got my Sony TZ I moved the SIM card to it from the Advantage - and constantly swapping the SIM is a headache. I was thinking of connecting the Advantage to my smartphone (formerly HTC Excalibur, recently replaced with Samsung i600). The bluetooth connection will be a bit of a bottlenek as HSDPA is faster than bluetooth, but better than nothing!

[Kevin Neel]

Jenn: You might also check out the following thread: Link

[Jenn]

@ Bruno: Oh, I thought you had a Nokia Sirocco?

My SIM-less American TZ is very jealous of your SIM-toting European one. Damn CDMA! Swapping SIMs is a pain, especially with the Advantage. Did you remove the plastic SIM card door? That makes everything a bit easier, as you don't have to take out the battery to get to the card. Very nice tip from orbitalcomp.

@ Kevin: Thanks. I'm actually with AT&T, but the Verizon info may come in handy if I run into problems. What are you using to tether?

[Bruno]

Jenn: I did, but no longer - I liked the phone a lot for its design, but the functionality was so-so. I am again on the lookout for the perfect phone! Any recommendations?

[Bruno]

Jenn: Sorry, hit the Post button too soon!
Swapping SIM is indeed a pain, with Advantage one needs tweezers to get it out. I didn't remove the plastic door, I try not to tamper with something I may potentially sell sometime down the road. Did you? Did it help? I do not mind taking out the battery from Advantage, it is the SIM card itself tha drives me nuts.
With the TZ the SIM is underneath the battery, quite easily accessible but it does mean you have to shutdown or hibernate the machine. Not a big deal, I suppose. But all combined it is just not something I want to do several times a day.
I have recently replaced my old smartphone with a new one, Samsung i600 which is great - but it is quite hard to remove the battery cover to get to the SIM, so I am definitely not switching that one! If I can tether the Advantage to my smartphone (essentially turning it into an expensive version of the Foleo :-) ) it would make me happy!

[Kevin]

As of now, I only tether my Dell laptop to my Verizon Samsung i730, and only by USB. My interest in the question comes as I'm pondering shelling out for the N810 to give me a much better browsing experience than QVGA Mobile IE (which would also mean reserving another pocket for the second device :).

So I'm trying to decide whether I'll like the 3G-N810 Internet experience enough to make it worth it. I suppose I could consider splurging for the OQO, but a pound in the pocket sounds a bit much :).

It sounds like others have succeeded, so I may go for it. Your post gave me pause, since you didn't mention tethering the N800/810. Now I know why (though didn't you have the N800?).

Or I may keep dithering -- too many choices! N810, EEE, OQO, Fuj P1610... I'm beginning to think I would like at least so-so inking for jotting quick notes/TO-DOs, adding contacts and calendar entries, ...

[Kevin]

P.S. Is there a way to subscribe for notification or RSS for comments on this blog entry or for comments on your site as a whole?

Thanks!

[Jenn]

Hi Bruno. The SIM card door is actually held into place with these plastic "knobs" that remain intact when removed. So you can get rid of the door without breaking/damaging it and then just reinstall it (it sort of snaps into place) if you ever sell the Advantage down the road.

The real trick to getting the SIM card out is actually not to pinch it. What works without a hitch for me is to press my fingertip on the exposed area of the card and slide it out without lifting up my finger. The card comes out really easily like this.

As for recommendations for a new phone, what about the HTC TyTN II/AT&T Tilt? I remember you expressing some interest in it. Or do you prefer the BlackJack/Treo look? What about a BlackBerry?

[Jenn]

Hi Kevin. I've just added a comments feed and a "subscribe to comments" icon below the message box. The feed isn't post-specific, though, so you'll receive all comments left on the site.

I do have the Nokia N800 but actually never tethered it. I bought it when my main phone was the untetherable iPhone. I had been using a Treo 650 before that, but I didn't have a data plan. By the time I got the Advantage, my N800 review was already a month old; for the most part, I tend to stop using devices regularly once I finish their reviews to move on to something else.

Second only to a UMPC, the N800 and N810 offer the richest web experience on any mobile device out there. It's the fastest and most capable (and the 800 X 480 resolution is unmatched).

[Kevin]

Jenn: Cool, thanks for the thoughts, and for the "Subscribe" link ,and for the site!

[Jimmy]

Is there a chance that i use can use the gps with no monthly fee?

Thanks

[Ken]

Great review from another proud owner of a tilt and advantage. I immediately flashed the tilt to an xda rom, the AT&T rom truly is atrocious. I however decided to get another SIM for the Advantage I bought at CompUSAs liquidation sale.

The two devices really do make a nice pair. The Advantage at 96 dpi gives you almost as much real estate as a laptop, but it is awkward as a phone. The Tilt is amazing for banging out e-mail and sms and is a great phone. I pair a bluetooth mini keyboard with them and docs to go and I can work from anywhere! Wait, I make that sound like a good thing.

Keep up the great work.