[Symphony]

After a long wait, the HTC Touch Diamond 2 has finally gone on sales today in Singapore. It is available through the local Telco Starhub.

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[xiaobaoge]

2-year mobile voice plan
PowerTalk Ultimate $488.00 w/GST
PowerTalk II $488.00 w/GST
PowerValue 700 $488.00 w/GST
PowerChat 300 (Day) $588.00 w/GST
PowerChat 300 (Night) $588.00 w/GST
PowerConnect $588.00 w/GST
PowerValue 300 $588.00 w/GST
PowerChat 100 (Day) $688.00 w/GST
PowerChat 100 (Night) $688.00 w/GST
PowerValue 100 $688.00 w/GST
PowerPlay II $688.00 w/GST
PowerCall $688.00 w/GST
PowerValue 80 $788.00 w/GST

[Symphony]

Hope it is not Starhub exclusive again!

[Bright]

At that kind of price, one might as well buy from Expansys without contract.

[cychiam]

xiaobaoge, on May 1 2009, 11:39 AM, said:

2-year mobile voice plan  
PowerTalk Ultimate $488.00  w/GST
PowerTalk II      $488.00  w/GST
PowerValue 700      $488.00  w/GST
PowerChat 300 (Day)  $588.00  w/GST
PowerChat 300 (Night) $588.00  w/GST
PowerConnect      $588.00  w/GST
PowerValue 300      $588.00  w/GST
PowerChat 100 (Day) $688.00  w/GST
PowerChat 100 (Night) $688.00  w/GST
PowerValue 100      $688.00  w/GST
PowerPlay II      $688.00  w/GST
PowerCall    $688.00  w/GST
PowerValue 80      $788.00  w/GST

is the price with 200 trade-in or without?

more expensive than Touch HD?

[chch]

Bright, on May 1 2009, 04:25 PM, said:

At that kind of price, one might as well buy from Expansys without contract.

Expansys (for Australia) have been taking payment for Diamond 2 and not delivering (as per Whirlpool comments and many cancelled orders). The office has now shut down (Australia) and the international number is not working. That put me off.

Handtec price is Sing$740 + delivery.

Mine is on its way :-)

This post has been edited by chch: 02 May 2009 - 01:54 AM

[iamacow]

Don't you pity HTC? I think they are making all sorts of.. "bad" business decisions with their touch/diamond phones.

I would think Touch Diamond is popular because it was available on all 3 telcos, end up price was driven down fast, but alot of sets were moved.

Personally, I don't think touch HD sold many sets though it's a very desirable set for me. Starhub held its prices too high, don't seem to understand that only phones with crazy and stupid fanclubs like the iphone will hold its prices up long and still sell.

Ah well, personally, here's to the failure of Diamond 2 locally.

[chch]

iamacow, on May 2 2009, 08:26 AM, said:

Don't you pity HTC? I think they are making all sorts of.. "bad" business decisions with their touch/diamond phones.

I would think Touch Diamond is popular because it was available on all 3 telcos, end up price was driven down fast, but alot of sets were moved.

Personally, I don't think touch HD sold many sets though it's a very desirable set for me. Starhub held its prices too high, don't seem to understand that only phones with crazy and stupid fanclubs like the iphone will hold its prices up long and still sell.

Ah well, personally, here's to the failure of Diamond 2 locally.

HTC have limited experience and resources to market devices. They can only really market the latest products to smart phone buyers. HTC need telcos to adopt and market their devices. This is the business model that gets their brands into markets.

Apple have a widely used brand with a business infrastructure built around marketing. Apple can market the iPhone to anyone and they have. As limited as we may think an iPhone is Apple have hugely expanded the market for all these devices. They have made them very main stream with a brand everyone knows.
With their 2nd or 3rd device these users will look at WM, Palm and Android also.

Price and the large size of these devices are probably what keeps most people out of the touch screen market (You will however find many cheap QVGA devices). The Diamond2 is expensive now but not as expensive as the iPhone was. There strangely is not much competition in the smaller phone VGA/WVGA area of the market and there probably won't be until the Garmin M20 comes out.
I can not see a price war happening soon. People are choosing devices based on features as the feature set keeps continually improving and no two phones are alike. This is very different from say the laptop market where I can get the same features in say 6 different brands.

This is frustrating. The market has been around for so long but we still have the same issues. These phones are incredibly over priced compared to something like a laptop. I can see the reason for it though.

I have ordered a Diamond 2. My D810 has lasted 2 and a half years so I think I am getting ok value

[Symphony]

chch, on May 2 2009, 12:39 AM, said:

I have ordered a Diamond 2.  My D810 has lasted 2 and a half years so I think I am getting ok value

Not so in Singapore. The D2 is same price and even more exp$ than a HD at this moment at Starhub Roadshow. You can buy a Notebook PC for the prize of a Diamond 2 here. Glad to know you are getting good price down under in the bush. Do let us know how you find it. I am seriously deciding between HD and D2. Thanks.

[chch]

Symphony, on May 2 2009, 12:57 PM, said:

Not so in Singapore. The D2 is same price and even more exp$ than a HD at this moment at Starhub Roadshow. You can buy a Notebook PC for the prize of a Diamond 2 here. Glad to know you are getting good price down under in the bush. Do let us know how you find it. I am seriously deciding between HD and D2. Thanks.

I ordered tax free from the UK. This phone probably wont make it to Australia and New Zealand stores until late 2009 or early 2010.
Still cheaper than the PowerValue 80 plan above and with no contract.

This post has been edited by chch: 02 May 2009 - 10:44 AM