HTC has always been good at making the same device in different flavors to suit the needs of different groups of people. The latest proof of that comes in the form of the HTC Victor, a device seemingly identical to the Touch Diamond except for the backing. Instead of the “diamond cut” (shown above) rear, it’s flat with a rubbery feel (shown below). Some people were complaining that the uneven backing made the Touch Diamond awkward to place on a table top.

The Victor is actually the strikingly similar to the Touch Diamond variant on T-Mobile in the UK and Germany, the MDA Compact IV, which also has a flat back.

Which do you prefer? The faceted backing, or the flat and smooth one?

For everyone who uses iTunes for their music, you can now get that same music that you bought with your hard earned money on your Windows Mobile phone. Here’s how:

1. Purchase the music. MoNews suggests DRM-free music.
2. Make sure to download in M4A format, instead of the AAC format.
3. Copy the music to your phone using Windows Explorer and open it on your phone.

It’s that simple. However, if you’re not running Windows Mobile 6.1, you will need a third-party media player to run M4A files. Windows Media Player in Windows Mobile 6.0 doesn’t support M4A though the Operating System does.

Via MoNews

Ok guys, so I’ve been negotiating with the owner of SMG, which is a mobile phone store, on getting together a group buy for the HTC Touch Diamond for AllTouchSite.com readers so that you can save some money. I’ve personally bought from SMG many times in the past, and the experience has been good and the shipping fast.

The average price of a shipped Diamond right now is around $715, as I’m sure you know. You probably can find lower prices, but it’s going to be from a sketchy store, and I’m sure you don’t want to place that much of your money in the hands of someone that may not be legit =D.

That said, the group buy is for $651 shipped to your door via UPS 3 day air. That’s over $50 cheaper than you’ll find in other places =D. Now, this being a group buy, we have to have at least 10 people interested in this offer before we can get that lower price.

Instructions: Reply to this post in the comments and say “I’m in!” Be sure to use your correct email address in the comments because when we get up to 10 responses, I will have SMG email you an invoice at this stated price, and we can get a Diamond out to you ASAP.

The people over at XDA-Developers have worked their magic again. A new unofficial radio ROM has been released to allow for the use of the GSM 850 band. This allows use of AT&T’s EDGE network which utilizes the 850 band and makes the device a lot more appealing for import from Europe or Asia. If you think about it, it’s not a long way from here to see the European/Asian Diamond have 1700/2100 for T-Mobile 3G data and use the 900 bands for voice.

Via Engadget Mobile

Hello, my name is Nishanth Samala and I am the new editor that Brandon Miniman has employed to write articles for AllTouchSite.com. From XDA-Developers, AllShadow or AllTouchSite, you know me as ND4SPD. Some of my hobbies include playing basketball, doing TaeKwonDo, robotics, and modding Windows Mobile devices.

My first experience with Windows Mobile was when I got my first phone two years ago: the MPX200, the grandfather of all Windows Mobile smartphones. But most of the time, I customized my dad’s T-Mobile MDA after discovering XDA-Developers. Since then, I’ve got my Shadow and have been actively helping the Shadow community with releases like the first port of Windows Mobile 6.1 to the Shadow. I hope to take that same experience to deliver some quality apps and ROMs for the HTC Touch family of devices for the community that is springing up here.

I’m ready to take part in the exciting experiences that I know that AllTouchSite will bring. I know this will become a great base for the Touch Diamond, Touch Pro, and all future HTC Touch devices that are to come along.

For those of you getting ready to buy a Touch Diamond, make sure you know which version you are buying. HTC recently released model number P3702 with code name HTC Victor. The specs are different from the original P3700 with code name HTC Diamond. This new model sports a rounded back and loses the diamond-like look. The front is a lot cleaner and looks similar to the UK T-Mobile Compact IV. It retains the 3.2 MP camera from the original Diamond. At the same time, however, the new P3702 loses the RAM with only 128MB instead of the 192MB. GSMArena speculates that the video accelerator isn’t available because of memory constraints - 64MB of RAM is taken up by the accelerator in the P3700. Most other features are confirmed to be the same as the P3700, but there is no assurance that there is an accelerometer.

Be wary and make sure you know which version you are buying. You might get more(or less) than what you expected.

Via GSMArena

Remember that the Diamond Accelerometer API was hacked? Well, XDA-Developer susilange has developed an application to switch between different profiles by shuffling your phone. Sounds familiar, right? (Hint, hint: Windows Mobile 7). With a quick shuffle, you can switch between vibrate and normal profiles. Worried about it changing profiles when you don’t want it to? The program is sensitive enough to recognize a quick shuffle but will not change when you walk or shift position in a chair. Version 0.2 of the software adds on vibration feedback for switching profiles. One long vibration for vibration on, two short vibrations for volume on. Convenient, isn’t it?

Look here for the Diamond Profile Switcher. Login at XDA-Developers is required for download.

What’s more, susilange is offering to make more applications based off the g sensor at your request. Post your ideas here.

So what’s an API? For those that don’t know, an API is an application program interface. It is what allows software developers to control certain core functions of a mobile device, such as phone or contacts list.

The Touch Diamond and Touch Pro are among the first WinMo devices to sport an accelerometer. Unfortunately, HTC didn’t release the API of this feature so that software developers could make programs that use that particular function.

The geniuses over at XDA-Developers have figured out how to allow software for the Diamond and Touch Pro to differentiate not only between X, Y, and Z coordinates, but whether the phone is turned landscape, portrait, or face up. Once developers get their hands on this, we should see more programs that will automatically rotate when you rotate the device, plus games that are controlled by moving the device around.

The below video from msmobiles shows a simple application making use of the accelerometer API.

Have you heard of the Samsung i900 Omnia? If you’re thinking about getting a Diamond, the Omnia is a similar device that you should at least consider. GSM Arena has posted a fantastic nine-page article comparing the two devices. Nine pages is a lot to read, so we’ve summarized it for you. Read Full Entry

Ok, so if you live in Canada, this is good news. Telus, a CDMA carrier up north, will be offering the Diamond later this summer in a slightly varied iteration (meaning, with rounded corners and no “diamond” texture backing, plus some Telus branding on the device and in the phone software) for $150 with a 3 year contract, $350 for a 2 year contract, $400 with a 1 year contract, and if you don’t want to commit, you can buy one outright for $450. Telus will also be offering an unlimited data plan for $30, which is a pretty good deal. To see more, click on to Telus.