HTC HD2 keeps spry with Mango RTM and custom ROM, looks to clear final hurdle

Engadget ^ | August 28, 2011 | Zachary Lutz

[FromTheSidelines]

You likely know the HTC HD2 as the phone that just can't be held in the past. While it started life with Windows Mobile 6.5, it's since met better fortunes with Android, Meego, and most recently... NoDo. Now, after the leak of Windows Phone Mango RTM, things are about to heat up once again.

[FromTheSidelines]

Wow - now THIS is a testament to a great phone hardware platform. It's been out for 3 years, and runs Windows Mobiel 6.5 (originally released with this OS), Android, MeeGo, NoDo, and now Windows Phone 7.5 - Mango. One platform, all those OSes, and you can switch between them.

I find it pretty amazing - not just the flexibility of the hardware, but the dedication of the XDA developers in extending the capabilities of OSes for mobile devices. Manufacturers should embrace these guys and support them as the new wave of entrepreneurs bringing innovation to the smart phone market!

[FromTheSidelines]

Thought you guys might find this interesting... I wonder if we’ll see more of this, mobile phone hardware becoming a more generic platform for running different OSes, a la the PC market?

[Jonty30]

I think most of us would like to buy the hardward and then decide the OS, but what the big three want to do is lock you into their respective environments, so you become a dedicated user.

[FromTheSidelines]

Yeah, that seems to be the push. Thankfully there is a group out there (XDA Developers) who are pushing cross-platform migration of OSes, and so far neither Google nor Microsoft has shown any interest in restricting that motion. Let’s hope it continues and blossoms!