HTC Phones » TouchFLO

HTC TouchB – New Details and Images

AllHTC — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:29:42 +0000

The first information about HTC TouchB appeared on Tuesday night. And now some of this smartphone details are already available. And the most interesting fact is the OS of the new device. It is not Android, as it was stated earlier, and not even Windows Mobile.

HTC TouchB will be equipped with BrewMP – the new operating system, developed by the company, known as a manufacturer of processors for mobile devices – Qualcomm.

The user interface is also developed by the company and it is similar to the known TouchFlo interface.

At the moment the new platform is under alpha testing. It does not even have a video player and wireless connection manager.

BrewMP was announced last year, but the manufacturer still keeps the secret of its design.

Of course, to compete with such giants as Android and Windows Mobile, the new operating system should offer something worth to take into account. According to rumors, it will fully support the Flash technology, which will reduce application development timing, and, consequently, reduce its cost.

In addition, the full support for touch screens, multimedia capabilities, multitasking, etc. is also expected.

There is little information on HTC TouchB too. The only information available is that it will be equipped with a 2-megapixel camera, 3G support and BlueTooth. There is no information on the presence of Wi-Fi.

HTC Touch Cruise with GPS-navigation

AllHTC — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:13:35 +0000

HTC has announced a new smatphone for its HTC Touch™ lineup – the HTC Touch Cruise ™ with Built-In GPS-module. Inheriting all the superiority of its predecessors from the HTC Touch ™ line, such as the HTC Touch Dual ™, HTC Touch Cruise ™ also supports the 3G-HSDPA wireless connectivity. The users will be able to just steer navigation features of HTC Touch Cruise straight on the go thanks to Touch FLO technology, which gives an opportunity to scroll trough Internet pages, view documents, lists of phone calls and even telephone directory with a single touch to the screen.

TouchFLO ™ in addition gives not only the opportunity of viewing pictures and even a slide show, using the components of control on the touch screen, but also allows to control the rotation of images with only one hand. Stilish and laconic, HTC Touch Cruise is a fresh proof of the fact that HTC is planning to expand its range of devices with touch screens, making the proposal a wonderful choice for users with not only different tastes, but lifestyles.

HTC Home Screen makes an opportunity of rapid access to key information: e-mail, text messages, calendar, contacts, and is not limited to giving information on weather in hundreds of cities worldwide. User only has to hold his/her finger across the screen in order to create an animated three-dimensional interface, which includes 3 pages: Contacts, Media and Widgets.

It is quite possible to turn a virtual page with mild fingertip across the screen to left or right, it ensures instant access to useful functions. HTC Touch Cruise supports the rapid merger HSDPA/3.5G, but also Wi-Fi and even Bluetooth, making it extremely comfortable to work outside the cabinet, while the 8-inch display is comfortable to navigate and even work with multimedia. Thanks to Windows Mobile-6, built-in Windows Media Player makes it possible to listen to music and even view videos. HTC Touch Cruise uses TomTom navigation software support.

HTC Touch Dual comes with a sliding keyboard was also presented in October 2007. The main technical specifications of the HTC Touch Cruise include: • Processor Qualcomm 7200 • Built-in GPS-module • Software obespechivanie TomTom • interface TouchFLO • 256MB/128MB ROM / RAM • Wi-Fi • Bluetooth 2.0 • GSM / EDGE / UMTS / HSDPA up to three, six MBS • 2 ,8-inch QVGA touch screen • FM-radio • Card slot Micro SD • Windows Mobile 6.0 • HTC Home Screen

HTC Sense: A New Generation Interface

AllHTC — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:00:35 +0000

The start was very common and usual: HTC smartphones based on Windows Mobile were no different from other devices, except the badge of the manufacturer and design. However, over the time, differences began to appear shortly – with each new device different programs, plug-ins for the Today screen and small utilities were added in HTC smartphones.

The breakthrough was the announcement of HTC Touch Diamond and the new company membrane, the TouchFLO 3D. The interface of the smartphone was welcomed by users, and Diamond eventually became one of the mass products. This is, of course, thanks largely to TouchFLO.

Its first versions were subject to constant criticism and fortunately due to healthy one. It was said that developers paid too much attention to design, while functionality was on the second place. But over time the shell was rather improved, and the critics fell silent. Yes, TouchFLO 3D remained clumsy and overloaded with animation, but at all though functionally it is ahead of all existing interfaces for Windows Mobile.

Now, it’s time to say goodbye to this older shell. HTC has a new interface with higher quality. The successor is named HTC Sense, and the first time it appeared on the device HTC Hero – the second HTC device with the Android operating system.

SEVEN IN ONE
The interface is first viewed by their appearance. In this regard, HTC Sense is surprisingly simple, it is not impressing, as it was a couple years ago with TouchFLO 3D. It’s doesn’t have the same smooth and sharp animation, multiple transition effects between screens, and other excesses. New shell is mainly sustained for Android style – not mottled and bright, and very similar to the standard form of the system.

New messages are displayed on screen lock.

The desktop in Sense is divided into seven separate screens; each of which can add widgets to Google. There are total of about 10 widgets, plus 15 brand widgets of HTC. Thus, a lot of additional modules can be added to the screens: the weather, bookmarks, clocks, calendar, stock quotes, photos.

This offers a large selection of beautiful pictures for your desktop background HTC Sense.

You can put any items on any of the seven screens. In addition, branded widgets from HTC, you can choose not only the type of content (weather, stocks, etc.), but also in size. For example, you want a single screen desktop to see the weather forecast and calendar events, and the standard widgets occupy these types of content on each screen. In this case you can not accommodate full-screen widgets, and their reduced versions.

ADDRESS BOOK
Address Book of HTC Sense is also altered beyond recognition. If the Android OS has a simple list of contacts and search for them, then the device with HTC Sense address book brings together all the information about the user in a menu. This means that from the window with data about a contact you can not only call your friend on a mobile phone and send him a text or email message, but also make a comment on his Facebook profile. Besides, you can see all the pictures of the contact, and explore the history of calls to this subscriber.

Another feature of the interface is an opportunity to place an icon with a contact to one of the screens on your desktop. You can place a call icon on the screen, but you can have a separate icon for the phone call, and for a text message.

QWERTY
Standard on-screen QWERTY-keyboard in Android is too simple. You can get used to it, but it just can not be named handy. HTC Sense has a much better keyboard, which works not only in the vertical, but horizontal display mode.

Intelligent Keyboard of HTC Sense, as a rule, guesses the words you enter, even if you make two or three mistakes apparently.

Additional symbols are the trouble of any small keypad. In Sense this problem is solved as usual and elegantly – if you want to put a colon or parentheses, there is no need to switch for the special characters input mode. If you hold one of the buttons, another sign is written instead of a letter.

Keyboard of HTC Sense is noticeably better than the standard one. It stores the words and then offers them with input.

SOCIAL NETWORKS AND SERVICES
Android, like the iPhone OS, is an operating system, tightly tied to Internet services. In addition to email clients and contacts, which interact with related projects of Google, there are a couple of interesting possibilities.
• List of sites where you can upload your photos
• Full-screen widget to work with Twitter
• Video clips can be downloaded to Twitter, and you can send them by mail

For example, each contact can be connected to a profile in Facebook social network.
There is a widget to work with Twitter blog. It can take either the whole screen, or half, and shows the last message from the tape. Reduced version of the widget allows you to only send Tweets.

The photos taken by the camera can be sent not only by mail, but also sent to Twitter, uploaded to Picasa, Flickr or Facebook. This list of features is not found on any platform.

CONCLUSION
Today it is difficult to imagine a HTC smartphone running based Windows Mobile without the TouchFLO 3D. Many users do not even know that their Diamond or Touch Pro runs on any operating system, but know perfectly well that this is HTC. The company wants to do the same trick with the Android: to bring TO the system maximum of their innovations. It can’t be said that HTC managed to do this with the Hero, yet this is the first device with Sense, which is far from perfect. But the software of the HTC is already very strong. Of course, the interface Sense as not perfect, but it has radically changed the experience of using Android OS.

Enjoy the video also

HTC Touch Viva Review

AllHTC — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:59:48 +0000

HTC Touch Viva is a smartphone that offers the latest achievements of mobile technologies and wide possibilities of the touch screen to all those who can not live without modern versions of communications.

Phone with a compact design is equipped with super-sensitive touch screen with the latest TouchFLO interface, providing easy access to your address book, multimedia files and the Internet. The touchscreen smartphone HTC Touch Viva is convenient to use and is harmoniously integrated with the main functions of the phone – so that you will be comfortable working, even if you had not previously encountered with the touch screen.

The bright 2.8-inch screen allows you watch video files, to view images and pictures, thumb through them, just like the pages of a photo album in your hands. Visit your favorite websites and watch videos from YouTube, refer to Google Maps!

With support for RSS-newsfeeds, you are always informed. You can also easily send and receive emails via Outlook , and work with Microsoft Office documents – in fact you have in the hands the device with the broadest possible connections for the Internet.

Design
The model has a nice appearance and good look. Of course, many users will express the view that copying itself in such volumes hurts HTC, but it is a moot point. Just look at Apple and its two-or three-year old players. Then the company copied its own design and very successful in selling it in the form of new products. In HTC the situation is similar. The company managed to create an eye pleasing and a mass product, HTC Touch, so why not take advantage of this model for the design of new devices, if it became popular and was accepted by the users?

The main body material is the glossy plastic, which is used as a front side, and for the battery cover. The ends of the device are made of opaque plastic. New trend is noticed in the Touch Viva and Touch 3G, – thin volume keys and the key turning off the screen/device. This looks interesting, fresh and even somewhat stylish, but not very practical, at least in the first sensations.

The size of the model is medium. If being compared with the original Touch, it is a little larger than it. At the same time it is early to call Viva a large phone, as competing models have similar or even larger dimensions.
The display of HTC Touch Viva is typical for a budget solution. Diagonal is 2.8 “, resolution of QVGA (320×240 pixels), the image on the screen looks grainy, though, after long-term association with the Touch Diamond and Pro, where the screen is simply excellent in quality. At the same time on vivid display pictures taken by Viva look good.

Camera
The model is equipped with a camera module with a fixed 2.0 megapixel auto-focus with the size of the matrix. There is no flash, a mirror for self portraits, as well as the shutter button on the case – for this you need to use the TouchFLO.

Photo format is JPEG with the maximum resolution of 1600 x 1200 pixels. Clicking on the display, you activate the presets, such as white balance, resolution, or self-timer. For more detailed settings, you’ll have to delve into the menu of additional features. There is a 5x optical zoom.

The quality of photos Touch Viva is comparable with other communicators, which houses a 2 megapixel camera.

Interface
The model uses a completely reworked version of the TouchFLO interface. In the company it is called TouchFLO 2D. This is logical, as the new interface mainly copies TouchFLO 3D, which we see in the Diamond and Pro. Structure of interfaces is the same with the strip of tabs at the bottom of the screen.

The user will pleasantly be surprised by the speed of the interface. Frankly, such a performance wasn’t expected from OMAP 850, but in Viva the speed is fine and appropriate. And this applies not only to work in TouchFLO 2D, but the WM interface as a whole.

Multimedia
It is impossible to call the HTC Touch Viva a real “Multimedia Smatphone”, but at the same time, the model has some competitive advantages. First, it is a sound speaker, which has an acceptable sound quality.

Secondly, in addition to the standard Windows Media Player, there is a special player, built-in shell Touch FLO. Just plug it in, and you get access to equalizer settings, where you can manually adjust the settings or bass, for example, surround sound, as well as take advantage of already pre-selecting a style of music.

It is possible to work with the library files, which reflects the playlist. Here you can set them as ringtones.

Platform
As we have already mentioned the OMAP 850 platform is taken as the basis for the Touch Viva. Processor with a frequency of 201 MHz has become familiar to users of many other models. We don’t feel that Viva is a “budget” phone as there is no lack of speed and that pleases the user most of the time.

The size of memory is standard for the models of the company – 128 MB. There is approximately 130 MB of memory for storing data in the model.

The device, despite its price category (class of budget models), has Wi-Fi-module.

Conclusion
The smartphone HTC Touch Viva is a very balanced solution and has the functionality of much more expensive phones. But the HTC Touch Viva is a bit more productive and has an excellent shell, which makes management of the smartphone very easy and simple. Thus, most users will not even use the Start menu. Time battery life is can even be considered to be perfect.

The device has a good volume, clear speaker, which, incidentally, is not always possible to see in the models of HTC. Problems with an audible interviewed the day of use have arisen. In the model there are a few minor improvements, at least one for the phone part, but more on that in the review, should in fact be some kind of intrigue.

Even taking into consideration the fact that the appearance of Viva is the repetition of Touch, as well as they have very similar technical characteristics, Viva looks fresh and stylish.

Specifications:
Class: Smartphone
Form Factor: bar
Competitors: RoverPC S7
Materials used: plastic, glossy plastic
Operating system: Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, shell TouchFLO 2D
GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, EDGE / GPRS
Processor: TI `s OMAP 850, 201 MHz
Memory: 128 MB
ROM: 256 MB
Interfaces: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (A2DP), proprietary connector ExtUSB (USB 2.0) for charging / sync and headset, memory card slot format microSD (support SDHC)
Screen: TFT 2.8 “with a resolution of 320×240 pixels (QVGA), reflects 65 thousand colors
Camera: 2 megapixel with fixed focus
Battery: removable Li-Ion 1100 mAh
Dimensions: 104.5x59x15.7 mm
Weight: 110 g.

HTC Patents New Version of TouchFLO Interface

AllHTC — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:12:40 +0000

Taiwanese company has patented a new generation of its proprietary user interface for smartphones – TouchFLO. The new version will replace the older HTC TouchFLO and Sense.

According to the patent application, the interface will resemble a kind of virtual book, in which Web sites and applications, widgets will be provided with separate pages. This approach, according to HTC, is the most convenient and intuitive. Cell phone operators and other content providers can easily add their own decisions, just creating a new “page” on the interface.

When the first smart phones with the new interface will be available in the market is still unknown. We can not exclude the fact that it has been patented as a theoretical concept, and will not be realized soon. It is too hard to say which operating system the interface is designed for. It may turn out to be multiplatformed model.

Sales of HTC Touch2 Based on WM 6.5 Start in Russia

AllHTC — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:16:46 +0000

HTC announces the beginning of sales of HTC Touch2 – compact smartphone with an updated TouchFLO touch interface – one of the first mobile devices based on Windows Mobile 6.5 platform.

With the new platform, Windows Mobile 6.5, HTC Touch2 demonstrates high performance and opportunities for communication and information retrieval. The device provides access to the newest Microsoft mobile services – My Phone and Windows Marketplace. My Phone Service automatically does free synchronization and backups files, photos, music, contacts and text messages from the HTC Touch2 in personal online office. Marketplace is a separate feature of online store for mobile applications.

HTC Touch2 is equipped with a Qualcomm MSM7225 processor with a frequency of 528 MHz, 256 MB of RAM, supports EDGE, HSDPA, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (+ A2DP), Wi-Fi, a microSD format memory card. Overall dimensions of the smartphone are 104 x 55 x 12,9 mm. Up to 440 minutes for GSM Up to 370 hours for GSM.

HTC Touch2 can already be purchased in Russia at the official online shop of HTC, in the stores of cellular devices and retail stores at the price of 16990 rubles.

HTC Patents 3 New Ways to Unlock Screen

AllHTC — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:41:56 +0000

HTC patents 3 new ways to unlock the screen. First one is similar to the way that was used previously in the first version of TouchFlo on the original HTC Touch. The essence of the method of blocking is the screen vertical holding your finger on the outer edge of the display. This might seem rather attractive for the users.

The second way is to provide an opportunity to change the locked screen saver without having to exit the lock. This method has been previously used neither by HTC, nor by any of its competitors and it’s rather compatible for now.

But the third way to unlock the screen is used quite often on devices of almost all the leading manufacturers, especially on smartphones with touch screen. It is so typical that the fact that previously no one has ever patented it can cause a genuine surprise.

Now it remains only to wait until the patented techniques will move from theory to practical use on mobile devices from HTC, and we can assess their strengths and weaknesses, get all advantages and disadvantages of the multi choices.

Smartphone HTC Touch2 (T3333)

AllHTC — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:12:25 +0000

This is an introduction of a new smartphone based on WM from HTC – HTC Touch2 (T3333). Presumably HTC Touch2 will work on a new version of Windows Mobile – 6.5 and, accordingly, will receive the support of services Windows Marketplace and My Phone, as well as an updated browser Internet Explorer Mobile. Main software of platform complements our well-known interface of TouchFLO. The other features of this novelty are typical for mid-level smartphones.

There is no official information about the cost of the device yet, but according to preliminary data counts, it can be about $300.

More information about the technical characteristics:
Network: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, WCDMA / HSPA 900/2100 MHz
Operating system: Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional
Interface: HTC TouchFLO
Processor: Qualcomm MSM7225 with frequency of 528 MHz
Memory: 512 MB ROM, 256 MB RAM + microSD slot
Display: 2.8-inches, with a small (320×240) resolution
Camera: 3,2 Mp
Modules: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS connectors: HTC ExtUSB, 3,5 Audio input
Battery: 1100 mAh
Dimensions: 104x55x12, 9 mm Weight: 110 grams

HTC MAX 4G Overview

AllHTC — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:51:45 +0000

HTC commissioned by Russian mobile operator “Skartel” especially for Russian market has developed the first GSM-communicator with WiMAX. Model MAX 4G is a replacement of Touch HD.

Touch HD from HTC also hit two popular products with touch screen – Samsung i900 Omnia and Apple iPhone 3G. The model has a large screen and a powerful camera, as a unique communicator of its platform. However, according to the agreement with “Skartel” HTC does not supply it officially it to Russian market, replacing it with MAX 4G. The model has been developed especially for Russia and has a built-in WiMAX. MAX 4G has a different design, a 3.2 MP camera instead of 5 megapixel one (like Diamond), there is no 3.5 mm audio input on the shell, etc. However, it supports services Yota, which is rather interesting.

Its not the easiest times for Windows Mobile vendors, and HTC is not an exception. The company is strong primarily with operator market. In its absence, a joint project with a major service provider in Russia it is quite logical. Now this is the only communicator under Yota. This is classic monoblock on the platform of Diamond, but with a large 3.8” screen. The combination is interesting and without WiMAX, but it will be a pleasant addition, when the cover is more or less acceptable.

The mobile phone is not small because of a big screen, this makes ergonomics suffer. On the other hand, now many actions can be managed without stylus, just with a finger. Because of its size MAX seems to be a more male apparatus. It is available only in classic black. Here is used soft-touch, but the front panel is rather smooth. Cover is not included in the set. MAX is built at a high level. But the materials do not please with variety: it is ubiquitous plastic; metal is used only in the frame, and in the stylus, of course.

As regards control elements there isn’t even a button camera – as in Diamond. There is a volume rocker, power button and the interface connector. The latter is used for audio and TV. The cable is not included in the set, but a 3.5 mm adapter is available. The main block of keys is fully touch – a controversial innovation of HTC. Confirmation with vibration is pleasant; it minimizes the discomfort compared to traditional mechanical buttons. The only serious drawback here is an absence of standard navigation key.

It is equipped with a processor Qualcomm MSM7201A 528 MHz, which in combination with dedicated graphics system makes TouchFLO 3D very “smooth”, despite the resource intensity of the envelope. Here is a 3.8” screen (840 × 400). There is only 8 GB memory, but there is a microSD slot, however, in order to change the cards you have to remove the back cover. RAM is 288 MB, which is quite sufficient for most tasks.

The camera has not changed – it is a 3.2 MP with autofocus, however, still without a flash.

In addition to WiMAX, the standard communication of our hero is a proprietary ExtUSB, compatible with miniUSB, as well as Bluetooth and WiFi. There is a built-in GPS, which has Google Maps. We recommend installing a more advanced navigation package. As for the telephone module, everything is familiar – GSM, support for EDGE. But there is no 3G.

Services Yota – a fast wireless Internet technology Mobile WiMAX, providing access to the network at speeds up to 10 Mbps. Note that the coverage is poor, especially with regard to MAX. The fact is that because of the lower antenna catches the communicator signal is noticeably worse than USB-modem. In addition, the antenna is one for all wireless modules, and then WiMAX can operate simultaneously with any WiFi, or with Bluetooth. The latter is particularly vexing.

Yota itself has rather interesting services. There is Yota-TV for viewing television channels, including “Vesti”, “7TV”, “Euronews”, “FashionTV”, etc and all 10 pieces at the moment. Yota-Music for access to the music catalog, which can be played online in a convenient shell with search and thumbnail graphics, though, download it to your device while it is impossible. Yap-Yap lets you sync and edit your contacts via Web and post photos and video files on web-site. In the future, Yota Video is expected – analog TV and music, but with clips.

Tariffs of Yota are quite reasonable. It will be Yota Max and Mini. Max includes unlimited access to the Internet without restrictions on speed and volume of traffic, the ability to simultaneously use two devices HTC MAX 4G and Mobile WiMAX modem (USB modem, PC Express card or a laptop with a built-in Mobile WiMAX) and unlimited use of mobile services Yota. Mini – is the only unrestricted access to the network.

Corporate HTC interface looks very impressive, even better then iPhone. The main menu consists of a horizontal strip of navigation shortcuts – Home, People, Messages … Result is dozen icons, each with an active screen and the ability to transition to additional. This device leaves a general impression of the future – SMS-messages and contacts browsed through, flying at an angle from the screen, the gallery also deals with graphics, and the weather tab altogether is remarkable.

In stepping up and adding functionality such trifles creators of the new TouchFLO did not forget about ergonomics. All is still focused on finger control, although the stylus is present – a little “deeper” in the depths of WM it often turns out to be very handy. Navigation through the menus is smooth and without errors. There are even three types of Touch Keyboard – QWERTY, alphanumeric, and something in between, get close to the iPhone, but at the expense of smaller diagonal screen size of the physical elements of the still modest, the same SMS type is without convenience.

As part of the program on the background of communicators is not from HTC, there are several important innovations in addition to firm shell. Especially note the Opera 9.5 browser, which is part of the TouchFLO 3D interface. It is parallel to the standard pre-installed IE and provides much more opportunities. As noted by HTC itself, for this it went under the concept of finger input, and indeed the program is realistic driving without a stylus. In addition, there was added a separate manager for YouTube. Otherwise, you can find everything you need, even RSS-reader and PDF-viewer, as well as ZIP-archive.

MAX is equipped with a battery with capacity of 1500 mAh that substantial for many WM-analogues, respectively, the battery life is quite good. It lasts up to three days, the average load and about the day when using WiMAX. We tested the MAX at maximum capacity, enabling it to reproduce the cyclical Yota TV, it came nearly four hours. Excellent result!

Sales of HTC MAX 4G has already started. The apparatus itself is quite interesting, there’s a perfect combination of large screen, good filling and pleasing design. Among the critical points, we note the absence of 3.5 mm on the shell and second camera.

Conclusion
HTC MAX 4G is unique in its kind, provides the possibility of WiMAX. This is a complete GSM-communicator on Windows Mobile with additional functionality for Yota services. Big screen, good filling, nice design – these are the main pluses of MAX. If you are not very frustrated by the lack of 3.5 mm audio input on the shell and the second camera, it makes sense to have a look at this novelty.

HTC Touch Dual Overview

AllHTC — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:08:12 +0000

Touch has become one of the best-selling communicators from HTC and more than one million copies have been sold. Taking into account the success of these communicators the manufacturer decided to launch a new one in the same style under the name Touch Dual…

Typically, there are no image communicators on the Windows Mobile platform and in general it makes no sense to talk about premium and luxury. The matter is in blending accents the users of smartphones; usually do not pay attention to the iamge. But the company HTC, leader of the WM-market decided to break with tradition. This manufacturer has not only focused on stylish body, but also changed the interface. The Touch model quickly became a bestseller, despite the not very impressive for its price performance (eg, no GPS). As a result, HTC not only added a good product in their portfolio, but also expanded the range of potential audiences. Now communicators are bought by not only the technological enthusiasts, but also simpler audience.

To continue the successful concept, it was decided to produce communicators on a slider form factor. Here appeared Touch Dual, which according to rumors, first was called Nike, and later – Touch Slide. The model is designed as a classic slider, rather than peculiar HTC side. Such a solution is rather infrequent. Design of Touch Dual exactly reproduces the original Touch. It has a black shell made of soft-touch. The sliding mechanism is excellent; build quality and materials are satisfactory. Touching Touch Dual is very pleasant. It lies in the hand better than its predecessor device, though now the dimensions are more balanced – the shell became thicker.

Ergonomics has several significant differences from the original Touch. In particular, an expansion slot fully supports the “hot” replacement of cards. But the interface connector (it is still ExtUSB) somehow is placed on the left side (as in many phones from Sony Ericsson), which prevents, for example, when using a player – the user can not put it in a staff bag. There is no separate exit for a wireless headset, as before, but delivery of brand new HTC accessories has already begun – ExtUSB adapter with 3.5 mm, headset and an expanded control panel on the wire.

Touch Dual doesn’t have scroll wheel, though a close device TyTN II has it. Joystick navigation is quite comfortable and it is placed under the screen. There are also two soft buttons and they are larger in size. But the most disappointing is the keyboard. This is a digital element with QWERTY-layout – the image of the same Blackberry. Buttons are poorly segmented, and the implementation of a set is unusual. As a result, text input is on the average level for a keyboard device. If you are counting on this feature of the model as a core element, then you should better look for another purchase or confine the virtual keyboard – an application from HTC is very good. The latter, is probably useful for owners of the original Touch and it is already available for free.

Platform of Touch Dual is the same as it is in HTC TyTN II. Touch Dual has a GPS module (as in P3600), there is no Wi-Fi, and the camera is also weaker. This device is based on the new processor Qualcomm MSM 7200 400 MHz, which provides only good performance. By the way Qualcomm 7200 does not work well with newer versions of video players. Over time, the advantage of the platform from Qualcomm will be more relevant, while the devices on it (including a top TyTN II) are indistinctive on the market.

Memory of Touch Dual is also similar to TyTN II-256 MB ROM and 128 MB RAM. There is the possibility of expanding at the memory through microSD cards. It supports SD 2.0. From wireless modules you can find Bluetooth, version 2.0 + EDR. The lack of Wi-Fi is a major disappointment. As for the telephone part of Dual, everything is in order, it even supports 3G. However EDGE is still here. There is no GPS, but you can connect it via Bluetooth.

Camera is very simple; it roughly corresponds to the magnitude of the Touch. This is a 2 megapixel camera without autofocus. Flash is also missing; there is no protective curtains and switch modes.

Settings are sufficient, there is everything you need. Thanks to the new interface, it is easier to control. The maximum resolution of photos is 1600×1200 pixels, while for the video it is 174×144 pixels. Sufficient quality can be obtained only with the ideal light; otherwise there is noise. Touch Dual is not suitable for shooting documents and other details.

The screen is built on TFT-technology with a diagonal of 2.6″, as well as QVGA-resolution (320×240) and 65K color. It is less than in Touch, the physical size is 2.8″, but viewing angles are much better. Due to the reduced size of the pixels the image is clearer. Touch Dual is based on battery with capacity of 1120 mAh.

Windows Mobile 6 Professional supports this communicator with a standard set of Microsoft applications, including Office Mobile (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). Manufacturer has developed TouchFLO system, making the control of the communicator with finger without the stylus more comfortable. There is also Adobe Reader LE, Sprite Backup, ZIP, Spb GPRS Monitor as well as HTC Audio Assistant to work with music, including cutting a ringtone.

HTC Touch Dual will appear in the market in November. This mobile phone will expand the company’s portfolio with appropriate goals and objectives. In the absence of direct alternatives to other brands the solution is interesting and it will have a certain demand.

Conclusion
Communicator Touch Dual is one of the stylish devices from HTC. For many people the lack of Wi-Fi may cause disappointment. However, the model is not intended to replace the predecessor; it is the development of ideas in the new version (now with the keyboard). In general, the novelty is suitable for those who appreciate the slider form-factor and WM Professional platform.