HTCTouchDiamond&TouchProreview|HTC,WindowsMobile,TouchFLO

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7th April 2009 Author: Kinny Cheng - - Views:

Our review sets:

HTC Touch Diamond
- ROM version (and date): 1.96.710.3 WWE (25/09/2008)
- UI version: TouchFLO 3D v1.1.34571.0_1630.38
- RAM / ROM size: 192MB / 256MB
- Processor: Qualcomm MSM7201A @ 528MHz
- SAR when used at the ear (ICNIRP): 1.34 W/kg

HTC Touch Pro
- ROM version (and date): 1.90.861.6 WWE (09/09/2008)
- UI version: TouchFLO 3D v1.2.35075.0_1813.6
- RAM / ROM size: 288MB / 512MB
- Processor: Qualcomm MSM7201A @ 528MHz
- SAR when used at the ear (ICNIRP): 1.34 W/kg

Overview
Those of you readers who have followed my reviews over the years, albeit the “break” in my stream of reporting of late, may have come to realise a certain oddity - that is, my reluctance (or, more precisely, complete lack of) in doing any reporting on devices based on Microsoft’s Windows Mobile (WM) platform. It doesn’t matter who makes the device - as long as it runs WM, I try to keep my distance from having to do a review on the device, even though it may uphold some positive and/or unique physical qualities worthy of my contention.

As a product reviewer, I really shouldn’t be so subjective. But in my eyes, what Microsoft has done is the simple offering of a so-called mobile platform with the renowned Windows calling. This was exactly the situation back when they first introduced mobile telephony features into this PDA-originated platform, back when WM was still called “Pocket PC”.

Granted that there have been vast improvements and so-called “innovations” in the platform itself. But the picture, in my mind anyway, is still looking no different: a product that, till this very day, boasts and prioritises on mobile computing, but leaving those telephony-based features to make do with what it (the platform) has and can only offer.

I can go on and on about this, but I won’t. Simply put it, I am still extremely dissatisfied with WM as a “mobile-based platform”, simply because it lacks the usability optimisation, requirements, and integration for a mobile phone product, irrespective of whether it’s a smartphone or not.

Anyway, so why am I giving HTC’s latest, the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro, the treatment that is normally reserved for non-WM powered devices? Simple... because both these products are unique gems in the WM product landscape, with the Touch Diamond taking precedence in HTC’s market redefinition.

So, with all that needs to be said thus far, let’s get straight into my tear-down of these two devices...

Design

HTC Touch Diamond

[ device category: smartphone (PDA-based) ]
[ form factor: PDA monoblock ]
[ keypad: virtual touchscreen (resistive) ]

HTC Touch Pro

[ device category: smartphone (PDA-based) ]
[ form factor: PDA monoblock, with slide-out QWERTY thumbboard ]
[ keypad: virtual touchscreen (resistive) | QWERTY thumbboard ]

In most cases, new WM-based device announcements don’t get much of a peep from me - and the HTC Touch Diamond was treated in very much the same way. But one design element did catch my attention - with that being the Touch Diamond’s use of a VGA (480-by-640-pixel) touchscreen display, which is a four-fold increase in the typical resolution (of 240-by-320-pixel) used by most (current) WM models. In other words, a finer display with improved graphics output.

“Great!”, I thought. “We’ll see just how good it truly is when it finally comes...”

Not too long a wait after, the first HTC Touch Diamond sets became available in Hong Kong, being the first market in the world to offer the product (more specifically, it was made exclusive to local operator CSL). And not long after that, I managed to borrow a friend’s set to have a short play - with the session ending up to be more than “just a few hours”...

{ The box }
My first surprise had nothing to do with the Touch Diamond itself, but instead the sales box that it was enclosed within. Both it and the Touch Pro are encased in a black, hard plastic box shaped like an upside-down pyramid with its pointy top section cut off. Two pieces of black tape, one on each side, holds the lid tightly shut. After cutting through one of these pieces, I slowly lifted the lid to reveal the handset presented in its grandeur - the Touch Diamond just sitting there magnificently, and the Touch Pro with its QWERTY thumbboard opened and ready to be exercised.

After removing the handset and lifting the tray that houses it, the numerous bits-and-pieces (or complements) can be found here - including the extra stylus, wall charger (with removable socket head) plus USB cable, and battery. For the latter two items, these are affixed to the bottommost tray, preventing them from “floating around” during transit. And beneath THIS tray (yes, there is one more - but final - compartment) is a screen protector and extra reading material (e.g. quick start guide, accessories guide, etc).

During my unboxing, I noticed two separate pieces of very-thin clear film - one placed on top of the handset’s touchscreen, and the other in the middle compartment just beneath the tray holding the device. Clearly, these were to prevent any possible damage (or, to be more precise, scratching) to the device when housed in its box. Even the external paper box housing the actual black plastic box had a piece of very-thin paper placed above the lid’s exterior, again preventing it from possible scratching.

Finally, some may be curious as to why HTC had gone for such a unique shape for its packaging? Well, apart from being unique and different, the other obvious reasoning would be logistically related. My guess was that the individual Touch Diamond / Touch Pro boxes could be stacked in various ways that would save space when transported in large quantities, within a single larger box - a thought that was later confirmed as being fact by a few of my retail contacts.

The attention to detail with just the design of the box is simply unbelievable! This had certainly set a high expectation towards the user experience of the actual product, which I am just about to get into here...

{ The device itself }
My time spent on studying the sales boxes for both the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro was, indeed, excessive. But by doing so, I realised that I was taking on a new level of appreciation for the devices - and not just the habitual practices that I normally go through.

The first to come along was the Touch Diamond, and it was really something that needed to be seen to be believed. No amount of marketing-related materials would be able to communicate the underpinning qualities of this device, much of which was experienced through the sense of touch.

Based on the typical PDA monoblock form factor that we’ve all come to know and become progressively conditioned (over time) towards, the Touch Diamond makes the biggest impression here by going for a very unique design. This not only involved toying around with different aesthetical elements (being something that I’ll get into very shortly), but also equally-significant consideration on the ergonomic, usability, and quality build fronts.

Aesthetics:
Using a wide range of materials and finishings, the Touch Diamond takes on a very interesting and unique art form. Starting with the front, it features a very-solid-and-usable plastic lens window (encases the 2.8-inch resistive touchscreen display) along with the flush set of hard controls sitting below. The matching touch-sensitive navigational wheel design, which is also usable as a 5-way D-pad, is probably the one physical element that’s visually outstanding here.

The back of the Touch Diamond is made up simply by the removable battery cover, an all-black plastic plate finished in high gloss, but also with a very uniquely-shaped surface (which, you may have guessed, resembles the cuts of a real diamond). In all my years, I have never come across a design so unique (think about it: who would go and create an oddly-shaped back cover that attracts fingerprints big-time, and still get some of the highest praises for its outstanding design?)

And a mix of hard plastic and brushed alloy were used to provide a contrasting effect finishing-wise, as well as to offer a very structurally-sound device that can (most probably) withstand the tasks and feats its user will have in store for the Touch Diamond in its lifetime.

All up, I have nothing but praise for its design in this regard.

Ergonomics and usability:
Simplicity promotes usability - and this is exactly how it is with the Touch Diamond.

On picking up the device, everything about it would seem “at home” to most users, especially those native WM-based users. Four hard buttons clearly marked, providing direct access to those intuitive functions, and along with the navigational wheel plus D-pad for a more tactile experience.

The Touch Diamond has been sort-of optimised for finger use, thanks to the availability of the TouchFLO system (provides finger-based scrolling capabilities) and the TouchFLO 3D user interface, an overlay which runs on top of the base WM system.

When reverting to the stylus, which is also very usable with the on-board UI, users will find that HTC has created an “active system” here. Each time the stylus is removed from its slot, held within via magnetisation, the device will auto-magically turn on showing the last-used application / menu / display. A little device inside the Touch Diamond detects its removal, and subsequently activates the display.

And its balance within one’s hand is perfect, whether it be used with just fingers or poked and prodded with a stylus. Its fitting in the hand, however, will depend on palm size. Out-of-the-box, the Touch Diamond will satisfy those smaller ladies hands, to those of the larger males. But should a user end up getting the extended battery accessory, which includes a necessary back cover replacement (to accommodate the thicker lithium-ion cell), it could make the “bigger hands” group of people even happier - simply because it offers a better fit due to the device’s slightly-increased thickness.

Quality build (aka physical prowess):
The Touch Diamond, in my books, is certainly the most successful design to come from HTC thus far. Of course, this isn’t to say that their recent offerings aren’t any good - just not up to the new, higher-level that they’ve now set for themselves, and the industry as a whole.

Although having already given much praise, I will do so once again in addressing the device’s physical build quality. Not only is the device very well-constructed, but it has a virtually-flawless design that is resilient to most sorts of physical stress, the types that can cause irreparable damage to the Touch Diamond’s components (in other words, it is still prone to things like scratching et al).

I was offered a live viewing of the Touch Diamond being battered and mistreated, actions that I would never even dream of performing on any of my devices, no matter how much I may hate it. The unit was dropped onto a hard surface, the display viciously poked at by a stylus, and even knocked against physical objects that would - on other PDA-based models - most probably cause a crack in the display. After the ordeal, the Touch Diamond did show only very minor signs of mistreatment, but its physical state still remained strong and felt as-reliable as before its intentional assault.

Of course, I am not encouraging to-be Touch Diamond users to get all physical with their device upon its purchase, as I cannot guarantee the same aesthetical appreciation if the same thing were to happen. Once again, I am merely demonstrating the physical prowess of this device, and providing the “peace of mind” that many people look for (and possibly require) from their workhorse.

{ The Touch Pro: design differentials }
In most regards, the Touch Pro and Touch Diamond both share an identical design, but differing only on form factor and various elements on the micro level.

The Touch Pro is notably thicker than its founding counterpart - just under 7mm thicker, to be precise. Weight-wise, the Pro is at 165 grams, and 110 grams for the Diamond - with the former’s heavier body being quite apparent, but well spread-out and balanced when it’s being used in QWERTY thumbboard (landscape) mode.

Speaking of the thumbboard, its physical design is as relatively perfect as the one that makes up the Touch Diamond’s. The internal mechanisms that power the semi-auto slide, which can be both heard and felt each time it is opened or closed, is probably one of the most solid and reliable I’ve ever used. When compared to the likes of an 838Pro (aka Hermes) or TyTN II, the Touch Pro’s slide mechanics is actually far more outstanding in both usability and reliability aspects.

However, the same could not be said of the actual thumbboard design. During my test drive of the Touch Pro in the last 2-3 weeks, I found the two-handed input device to be generally quite usable. But extended periods with the device didn’t go as well, where my thumb/s weren’t accurately punching the correct button - more specifically, with the bottom row of letters (Z, X, C ... N, M, /) and the relatively-miniaturised space bar. In an overall sense, I found the thumbboard to be slightly smaller than I would’ve liked it, but would probably suit users with smaller-sized hands instead (which subsequently means smaller thumb/s too!)

Below are some of the other noteworthy differences.

Back cover: glossy versus soft-touch plastic: This was more of a usability decision than it was anything else. With the soft-touch plastic finishing for the back cover, this reduces the chances of the Touch Pro slipping out of a user’s hands, specifically when being used in thumbboard mode. It also differentiates the Diamond and the Pro from one another, both in looks and design genre (ever so slightly), yet HTC has retained a similar “styling” or mould pattern for the back cover anyway.
‘Reset’ button location: On the Touch Pro, this is located on the right of the ExtUSB port, or immediately below the “headset” imprinted icon. For the Touch Diamond, the button - red in colour - can be found sitting inside the stylus slot area, and is easily visible after having pulled out the writing apparatus.
Hand strap / lanyard hook location: The one on the Touch Diamond needs to be threaded through the small hole on the left of the ExtUSB port, while the Touch Pro’s is located near the bottom of the back cover.
Hotswap microSD (memory card) slot: Applicable only to the Touch Pro, since the Touch Diamond only comes in a 4GB internal storage flavour, this card slot can be found on upper left side of the device’s back, upon the removal of the battery cover, and is clearly marked for the user’s reference.

{ -ve’s } .. Power button design
The power button on the Touch Pro has a slightly-larger footprint, and feels less sticky but more tactile than the one on the Touch Diamond. Initially, I found the former to be the better button design - but after some extensive use, my preference has reverted back to the latter for one very simple reason: the larger, more clicky button on the Pro has a higher tendency of registering keypresses, even those that were accidental ones - yet the Diamond’s power button was more forgiving, and required a little more effort before it responded. And because it also functions as the keyguard switch, it’s better to have a button that couldn’t be pressed too easily - and HTC may have just missed this point with the Touch Pro?

Usability

HTC Touch Diamond

[ hardware: Qualcomm 7201A @ 528MHz | 256MB ROM + 192MB RAM) ]
[ user interface / overlay: TouchFLO 3D ]
[ base OS: Windows Mobile Professional v6.1 (CE OS 5.2.19965 | Build 19965.1.2.3) ]
[ navigation: Resistive touchscreen, touch-sensitive navigation wheel + D-pad, pre-defined hard buttons ]
[ display: TFT LCD | 480 x 640 px (aka VGA) @ 65,536 colours | 2.8-inch viewable diagonal ]

HTC Touch Pro

[ hardware: Qualcomm 7201A @ 528MHz | 512MB ROM + 288MB RAM) ]
[ user interface / overlay: TouchFLO 3D ]
[ base OS: Windows Mobile Professional v6.1 (CE OS 5.2.19965 | Build 19965.1.2.3) ]
[ navigation: Resistive touchscreen, touch-sensitive navigation wheel + D-pad, pre-defined hard buttons ]
[ display: TFT LCD | 480 x 640 px (aka VGA) @ 65,536 colours | 2.8-inch viewable diagonal ]

Primarily, what has made (and will continue to make) both the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro models huge sellers isn’t the Windows Mobile back-end that the entire hardware depends on to function, but the front-end UI that finally brings true device usability to this class of handset, out-of-the-box.

HTC calls it ‘TouchFLO 3D’, and it’s their second attempt at creating an easy-to-use and intuitive user interface. Its existence doesn’t actually replace WM as an operating system, but instead works “on top of it”, as an overlay, giving the rather-pathetic and feature-limited ‘Today screen’ (which Microsoft has never thought of enhancing or replacing) a much-needed and -overdue retirement notice.

Touchscreen navigation:
Similar to the ‘Cube’ interface, which made its debut on the original HTC Touch, TouchFLO 3D has been created with finger-based control in mind. While it’s possible to navigate via traditional means (that is, with a stylus), the visual elements throughout the UI have been optimised for use with the tip of a finger.

TouchFLO 3D supports traditional tapping actions for selection, dragging for menu bar navigation and TouchFLO-based window scrolling, and gesture-based actions to control functions for those various built-in features.

Within the TouchFLO 3D overlay interface:

Flicking upward or downward: Shows the next or previous selection in a list. For example, under the ‘Photos and Videos’ tab, an upward flick would show the next photo/video in the list, while a downward one reverts back to the previous one.
Flicking left or right: Shows the next or previous tab-based feature respectively.
Tap, hold and drag: For those scrolling bars, such as the primary tabs bar just above the soft key labels, and the vertical ones used for the contacts and e-mail displays, a user can navigate these by touching and holding onto the selection box, by keeping your finger on the screen, and dragging in either direction to bring it to the required choice.
Circling and double-tapping: In the photos preview, it is possible to zoom-in or -out by simply drawing a circle on the displayed photo. A clockwise gesture would magnify onto the area that the virtual circle was drawn, while an anti-clockwise action would do the opposite action. Double-tapping on the picture would bring the zoom level to a “fit-to-screen” state.

For scroll lists shown within TouchFLO 3D:

Flicking upward or downward: Quickly scrolls through a list of items, which will progressively slow down and stop completely (the rate and speed of the scrolling effect will depend on the intensity of the finger- or thumb-flicking action).
Tap, hold and drag: This will scroll the list according to the up/down movement of the finger being held against the touchscreen.

Basic TouchFLO-based support is available throughout the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro, in the form of window scrolling and panning only.

Navigation via hard controls:
There are times when it is actually quicker and more convenient to revert back to more-traditional means for navigating on-screen menus and functions - and that is there those hard buttons, located below the touchscreen display, comes into play.

The four clearly-marked buttons (from top-to-bottom, left-to-right) - ‘home’, ‘back’, ‘answer call’ and ‘end call’ - provide, in most cases, very self-explanatory functionality. For example, the ‘answer call’ button would typically answer an incoming call, or bring up the last-dialled numbers list at other times. Similarly, the ‘end call’ button terminates a current call, or could be set up to work in a specific way (depending on the function assigned, which can be chosen from a preset list).

As for the ‘back’ button, its behaviour will depend on where it is being used. Within functions served by the TouchFLO 3D overlay, pressing it will “go back” to the TouchFLO 3D interface. Within the Opera browser, this hard button is equivalent to the browser’s back button, reverting to the previously-loaded page.

And then, there’s the touch-sensitive navigational wheel, integrated along with a 5-way D-pad-like design which is physically hidden beneath its own design. With the latter, its use is again very much self-explanatory. However, with the touch-sensitive wheel, this only works with apps that support display zooming - such as the photo viewer or Opera Browser.

Features and functions:
Here’s a quick list of the features that TouchFLO 3D offers, and allows direct access to:

Home: You could probably call this the ‘Today’ screen for TouchFLO 3D, which is presented in a much-more optimised manner. The clock display takes up about a third of the screen, with other information such as missed call details and calendar entries appearing below it. Pressing the ‘home’ hard button at any time will bring up this screen.
People: Speed dial like function - also providing direct access to the on-board ‘Contacts’ application (comes with a iPhone-line index bar for quick lookup of names, and is tied to Google Maps’ “locate in” support).
Messages: A “quick” (and fancied-up) display for text (SMS) and picture (MMS) messages, offering a one-message-per-screen view for the 25 most recent messages. Offers direct access to the SMS/MMS client for viewing of other messages, plus for the composition of messages (TouchFLO 3D still falls back onto the default client for this task). Upon the receipt of a new message, a small notification gets added to the TouchFLO 3D tab bar in the form of a green dot indicating the “number” of new unread messages (for example, if there are three new SMSes, a “3” will be displayed here).
Mail: Similar to ‘Messages’, it can display email messages for up to five different accounts - with full viewing and composition requiring the default WM-based mail client. Where there are new, unopened emails, the corresponding number is shown in the TouchFLO 3D’s tab bar - again, same as ‘messages’.
Operator customisation tab: Usually available only with operator-released models, with customised software, this extra tab is usually placed on the fifth position (or the rightmost tab on the bar when the ‘Home’ tab is selected). When selected, icon-based shortcuts to frequently-used apps and web links are laid out in a grid - usually 3-by-3 - along with two soft key options. Because these shortcuts are operator-customised, it is not possible for the user to make any modifications or disable the tab completely (not under normal circumstances anyway).
Internet: More specifically, this is the Opera quick menu within the TouchFLO 3D UI. Out-of-the-box, preset URL links to Google and YouTube can be found below the large graphic of the Earth, being a fixed shortcut to HTC.com. And below all this, any Opera-based bookmarks created by the user will be listed hereon.
Photos and Videos: Offers direct access to the on-board imaging and video capture functions, as well as the displaying of large, scrollable thumbnailed image previews. To view the selected image or video, a simple tap opens up the full-screen viewer - where, from here, a user is able to perform a multitude of operations, including: zooming-in and -out of an image; view images as slideshows; deleting images; send an image via email or MMS; and assigning an image as a contact picture or wallpaper. Thanks to the built-in accelerometer on both the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro, the viewer is able to orientate the on-screen pictures automatically.
Music: The music player interface allows users to flick through their collection of audio tracks, which is based on the selection criteria made from within the “library” - accessible via the left on-screen soft button. In the TouchFLO 3D UI, playback controls including music track selection, play mode options (repeat, shuffle), and equaliser settings (known as “Audio Booster” on the Diamond/Pro) are available. Pressing the ‘Library’ soft button will show the complete music library accessible by the device, and can be viewed in a variety of sorting methods (“now playing”, album, artist, playlists, all songs, genres, composers, purchased).
Weather: Shows the current weather situation in the current city, along with the forecasted low and high temperatures for the current day (this info can be set up to update automatically - with roaming options, or manually). A 5-day forecast view can be viewed simply by tapping on the respective left on-screen soft button. Users can add numerous cities (or “locations”) to the Weather tab, scrollable by simply doing an upward or downward flick gesture.
Settings: A variety of configurable items can be found on this tab, including the ability to control ring/system sounds and the displayed wallpaper, and system-wide settings such as data connectivity options (phone radio, network data connection, Bluetooth, WiFi, an all-on or -off “Airplane mode” option, and even an on/off switch for push email). For all other settings, tapping the ‘all settings’ left soft button will bring up the same “Settings” folder found in the ‘Start Menu’.
Programs: This tab offers an icon-based shortcuts listing for on-board applications, and is fully customisable by its user. In other words, this resembles the operator-constructed tab, with the exception that it can be customised.

Performance and usability:
On a micro level, this may all sound very interesting. But pulling all this together and having them work alongside each other could ultimately prove to be a very different experience.

HTC has done a great job with TouchFLO 3D - and it’s certainly one of the best WM-based platform front-ends, or overlays, that I’ve used and truly experienced. The VGA display played a major role in providing for its enhanced look-and-feel, something that a screen with a lower resolution would never be able to achieve. Plus, how they’ve managed to combine everything into a single package and retaining the high levels of usability, as well as functionality - on a WM-based design - is simply a great feat on its own.

But even so, there were still a few little things that raised concerns - and these were mostly performance issues relating to the actual TouchFLO 3D interface itself, plus the intricacies of the WM platform as a whole causing an unwanted flow-on effect in the form of poor response times to user actions.

Imagine, a phone call comes in, and you’d naturally pick up the call (under normal circumstances anyway). In the case of the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro, doing so means not just simply pressing the “answer” button, but also visually checking to see if the call was indeed picked up. Why? Because in the very short span of time between the pick-up action and hearing the actual call, this was significant enough for its user to question whether or not the phone had actually registered the “answer” keypress - a troubling scenario that gets played back almost every time, without fail, whenever a call is received.

These sudden operational “pauses”, as short as they may be, are not only counterproductive, but also places a huge dark cloud over the usability of the handset as a whole - and nor were they restricted to just the one scenario I had described above. Running a 528MHz QualComm CPU, even though fast, still didn’t guarantee silky-smooth performance in situations where it mattered most. At the end of the day, it all boils down to the limitations imposed by the underlying platform, which seems inherent on virtually all WM-based devices.

Communiqués

Touch Diamond & Touch Pro

[ calling: voice calls, video calls (3G-only) ]
[ messaging: SMS / MMS / email / IM (MSN) ]

Apart from the TouchFLO 3D provisions for mobile messaging (SMS and MMS) and email, both the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro come with those standard-issue capabilities found on other WM v6.1 enabled devices.

What’s worthy of some mentioning, though, are those many input methods commonly supported by these two devices, which includes:

Phone Keypad (virtual 3-by-4 numpad interface);
Compact QWERTY (two-letter-per-button virtual keypad, plus individual control buttons);
Full QWERTY (typical (virtual) keyboard layout); and
The default WM input methods (Keyboard, Block Recogniser, Letter Recogniser, Transcriber).

With the exception of the system default methods, the built-in T9 predictive text system can assist with the user’s input experience by lending a very helping hand.

As we’ve all come to know, the basic T9 system was originally designed for use with 3-by-4 numerical keypads, offering on-the-fly predictions based on the registered input sequence. Undoubtedly, it is one of the greatest innovations to come to mobile phones, specifically in the area of mobile messaging enablement.

With the Diamond and Pro, the included T9 system is a very powerful one. On top of the basic word prediction capabilities, it also promotes features including: spelling correction upon the completion of a word; completion of a word based on a partial input (works in both T9 and basic “multi-tap” (non-T9) modes); and something called ‘auto-substitution’ (automatically apostrophises shortened words, such as “cant” to “can’t” or “shouldnt” to “shouldn’t”, and rightfully capitalises words, like “i” to “I” and “i’m” to “I’m”). Each of these features are independent of one another, which means they can be enabled or disabled based on the user’s own typing practice.

In my case, I found some of the “intelligent” T9 features a bit too overwhelming, which - in many instances - have been counterproductive in my efforts to get a message out fast. Being an avid T9 user, I was pleasantly surprised to find just how usable the on-screen virtual numpad was when I began tapping away at it for words, rather than just dialling numbers for a phone call. But when those auto-completion and -correction systems started wreaking havoc with my inscriptions, that was when I decided to switch these off in the input and T9 settings (yes, they are separate).

As for the other virtual input keyboards, they weren’t really my cup of tea. The compact QWERTY layout is similar to something that came from a previously-available BlackBerry model, and I’ve never taken a liking for it simply because it didn’t really promote true ease-of-use (if it did, then they would probably still be using it up till now). As for the full QWERTY on-screen interface, this was barely usable in a non-stylus scenario - but is definitely far better and usable than the default “keyboard” that Microsoft expects WM users to have to put up with, albeit being designed more specifically for stylus use.

On the Touch Pro, using the physical thumbboard got a bit demanding, and even slightly frustrating, for me because of my bigger thumb sizing (as per my comments in the ‘Design’ section of this review). But irrespective of this, I also found the “auto” systems to downplay my typing - or thumbing - efficiency. At times, it just got too intrusive when it suggested and changed words for me because I made a simple spelling error. Again, I found having some of the T9 features off here was clearly better - at least, this way, I had greater control over my composition, and not having to spend more time going back to correct mistakes that I didn’t actually make myself!

Don’t get me wrong - I believe HTC has done an exceptional job at offering the many choices available with text input alone, a design component of both the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro that’s not only important but also quite vital in today’s smartphone market. Not every input interface may favour everyone - but at least their non-discriminant nature, in this regard, will certainly raise eyebrows amongst those that highly value the messaging features and capabilities of such a device.

{ -ve’s } .. On-screen typing
Oddly enough, I found that on-screen typing with the Touch Diamond to be slightly easier (and less frustrating) than the experience provided by the Touch Pro - and it all boiled down to the very slight, but noticeable, difference in the firmness of the touch display. As far as I know, both devices share identical display technologies. But it was clearly undeniable, to the feel of my thumbs, that the Diamond had the more-solid feeling display surfacing, which provided both the user and device with a near-perfect pressure-response balance. With the Touch Pro, the overall feeling and performance were very close to that of the Diamond’s, but there was clearly a distinction in its overall usage experience - one that puts it in second place behind its thumbboard-less sister model.

Connectivity

HTC Touch Diamond

[ cellular: GSM 900/1800/1900 (tri-band 2G) | UMTS 900/2100 (3G) ]
[ data: GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, HSDPA (7.2 Mbps down | 384 Kbps up), WLAN 802.11 b/g ]
[ device-to-device: Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (A2DP/stereo-audio, data, handsfree/headset), USB (HTC ExtUSB - compatible with mini-USB cables) ]
[ Internet sharing: No (to be available in upcoming firmware upgrade) ]
[ web browsing: Opera 9.5 for Windows Mobile ]

HTC Touch Pro

[ cellular: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 (quad-band 2G) | UMTS 900/2100 (3G) ]
[ data: GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, HSPA (7.2 Mbps down | 2.0 Mbps up), WLAN 802.11 b/g ]
[ device-to-device: Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (A2DP/stereo-audio, data, handsfree/headset), USB (HTC ExtUSB - compatible with mini-USB cables) ]
[ Internet sharing: via Bluetooth or USB ]
[ web browsing: Opera 9.5 for Windows Mobile ]

To judge the Touch Diamond simply from its looks is the last thing anyone should do. So far, I’ve gone through its many aspects, as well as those of the Touch Pro, and have proven both of them to be very capable smart devices, in whatever light you want to see them under.

And in the connectivity department, both devices are no closer from giving in to poor judgement either!

Bottom-line, the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro both support 2G and 3G mobile networks, Bluetooth 2.0, “b” and “g” WiFi networks, and USB connectivity through the ExtUSB (mini-USB compatible) interface at the base of the handset. But looking more closely, there are indeed minor differences, though.

The Touch Diamond, being the initial model of the two, supports only three GSM bands (900, 1800 and 1900 MHz) - while the Touch Pro does all four major 2G bands (850 MHz, plus the three aforementioned ones).

For 3G, where both supports the 900MHz and 2100MHz UMTS frequencies, data support is only very slightly different: the Touch Diamond is HSDPA compliant (7.2 Mbps downlink, 384 Kbps uplink); the Touch Pro is HSPA compliant (7.2 Mbps downlink, ~2.0 Mbps uplink). The faster downlink speeds here, when compared to the still-standard 3.6 Mbps speed, is certainly an upside for those that need/want it. With the Pro, the much-faster uplink speeds is certainly beneficial for those users that require it - yet, it’s a mobile data combo (that is, HSPA) that we’re slowly moving towards over time.

Internet sharing with an external device is a new feature introduced with the Touch Pro, which will probably makes its initial appearance as an option in the “connections” screen (the display that pops up when a USB cable is plugged in). As for the Touch Diamond, this feature is not available upon launch, nor was it at the time of this review (but I’ve been advised officially that it will appear in an upcoming firmware upgrade).

Both devices have done themselves extremely well here. They may not be running the best mobile platform on the planet, but at least they do offer some of the most leading-edge data communications options currently available...

Featuresque

Touch Diamond

[ memory: 256MB internal ROM + 4GB internal storage ]
[ multimedia: Audio output via ExtUSB, Bluetooth A2DP, FM radio with RDS, Media Player ]
[ imaging: 3.2 Mpx CMOS + AF ]
[ video: 320 x 240 px (aka QVGA) @ 30 fps, MP4/AAC video encoding ]
[ others: A-GPS, Google Maps pre-loaded, RSS reader, native Windows Live Messenger and YouTube clients, full web browsing via Opera 9.5 ]

Touch Pro

[ memory: 512MB internal ROM + hot-swappable microSD (cards of up to 16GB supported) ]
[ multimedia: Audio output via ExtUSB, Bluetooth A2DP, FM radio with RDS, Media Player ]
[ imaging: 3.2 Mpx CMOS + AF + photo light ]
[ video: 320 x 240 px (aka QVGA) @ 30 fps, MP4/AAC video encoding ]
[ others: A-GPS, Google Maps pre-loaded, RSS reader, native Windows Live Messenger and YouTube clients, full web browsing via Opera Browser ]

From some of the specs above, plus those important design differentials that I’ve gone through up till now, it’s clear that the Touch Pro has the greater muscle under the bonnet - yet, the Touch Diamond does not trail far behind.

An internal 4GB storage area, versus an optional memory expansion scheme - this is certainly one major consideration for a lot of people. Obviously, the latter is preferable, given that the cost of memory cards are always being adjusted downwards upon the release of larger-capacity cards. But considering that the Touch Pro has the differing, and bulkier, form factor of the two, it pretty much makes the whole internal-external memory consideration somewhat irrelevant.

Feature-wise, both devices share pretty much the same capabilities as one another - so there’s really no comparison in this regard. Apart from the other major physical differences with the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro, the other major one that I’ve yet to mention is the addition of an LED-based photo light for the latter, which can be used with both image and video capture modes. Not something to brag about, that’s for sure - but can certainly become useful at times of need.

Integrated Google Maps application: Out-of-the-box, the native Google Maps application can give that built-in GPS receiver a good test run (just make sure you have a data plan set up with your network provider, as this application needs to pull maps off the Google servers). Apart from just showing where you are in either map or satellite view, it can assist with getting you from A-to-B by offering point-by-point directions (but not guidance) by simply entering a “from” and “to” location, which can be in the form of an address or selecting from a list of search results (well, it is a Google-based app after all!)
Google Maps integration with contacts app: As mentioned previously, the on-board ‘Contacts’ application comes with a function which allows for the address from, within a contact entry, to be looked up in Google Maps. A “locate in Google Maps” option can be found in the very last position of the soft key menu.
Opera 9.5 web browser: Forget about Internet Explorer (IE)- the Opera 9.5 app, found on both the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro, sets the new standard for browsing Internet-based content on a Windows Mobile device. Not only does it finally offer a proper web browsing experience, but it also supports numerous usability features which attempts to bring desktop-grade functionality to the mobile device, including: tabbed (or multiple window) browsing support; a “remember passwords” feature; enhanced finger (gesture) based navigation of web pages (e.g. double-tap to zoom-in or -out, flick-to-scroll); full-screen browsing; page saving for later reference; easy bookmarks management; and a fast, straight-forward and easy-to-use user interface. Not only does it beat the default IE browser hands-down in almost every aspect thinkable, it would easily have it for breakfast!
RSS reader: On-the-go updates to your favourite web sites and sources of information, the ‘RSS Hub’ application can offer its user access to their own personalised feeds selection - or simply work off the preset list of feeds provided by default, and narrow-down on that list over time.

Battery and power

Touch Diamond

[ cell: Li-ion cell @ 900 mAh | optional Li-ion cell @ 1340 mAh ]
[ charging method/s: AC adapter, USB power (via ExtUSB or mini-USB cable) ]
[ power management: screen timeout feature ]

Touch Pro

[ cell: Li-ion cell @ 1340 mAh ]
[ charging method/s: AC adapter, USB power (via ExtUSB or mini-USB cable) ]
[ power management: screen timeout feature ]

Typically, WM-based devices are very power-hungry in their own right - and for both the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro, this was pretty much an expected scenario anyway.

But with those quality, outstanding features of the two, there is also the downside aspects to consider. Specifically, I am referring to the VGA display and the high-speed 3G network data support, both of which can require great amounts of power resources when actively used.

With the Touch Diamond, the default 900mAh lithium-ion cell performed poorly come crunch-time. If you’re not a heavy user, then it’ll probably last for around a day, or possibly a bit more, on a single full charge. But once it gets more undivided attention from its user, there is a high chance that the Diamond won’t make it past a day without some sort of replenishment in-between.

To make it a true workhorse, HTC offers an “extended” battery for the Touch Diamond, which comes in the form of a 1340mAh lithium-ion cell - and includes a replacement back cover to accommodate for its thicker physical dimensions. In fact, this is the “standard” battery that gets included with the Touch Pro - makes sense given that it’s a device design more orientated towards the typically-demanding user.

Usage times with the higher-capacity battery were certainly higher, but not in a very significant way. Both the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro provided similar figures when tested: average use resulted in around one-and-a-half to two-and-a-half days’ worth of battery life; and heavier, more demanding use led to a charge being needed after around 24-36 hours.

Once again, these figures will depend greatly on how either of the devices are being used. Active use, involving the activation of the VGA display, will certainly drain the battery more quickly than simply listening to music via the FM radio or music player with the display off. And using 3G-based data services instead of WiFi has pretty much the same effect on power usage.

But fortunately, the ability to charge the Touch Diamond or Touch Pro via a USB power source can help greatly towards keeping the device alive and kicking, until a time when a full charge can finally be performed.

Sales box contents:

Touch Diamond (aka HTC P3700)
- HTC Diamond handset (with stylus fitted)
- Li-ion battery @ 930mAh
- ExtUSB to USB data cable
- AC charger adapter with detachable plug (required use of ExtUSB to USB data cable)
- Stereo headset with multifunction button | ExtUSB interface
- Ear cushions (fits over headset earbuds)
- Extra stylus
- Screen protector
- Quick start guide + TouchFLO 3D quick guide + accessories guide
- Warranty card + “HTC Care” leaflet (contact numbers for worldwide service points)
- One set of package sealing labels (2 pieces)
- Two additional product identification (IMEI and serial number) labels
- Windows Mobile “Getting Started” CD-ROM
- Touch Diamond Application CD-ROM (includes: user manual, Sprite Backup software, Sbp GPRS Monitor software, WorldCard Mobile software)**

Touch Pro (aka HTC T7272)
- Touch Pro handset (with stylus fitted)
- Li-ion battery @ 1340mAh
- ExtUSB to USB data cable
- AC charger adapter with detachable plug (required use of ExtUSB to USB data cable)
- Stereo headset with multifunction button | ExtUSB interface
- Ear cushions (fits over headset earbuds)
- Extra stylus
- Screen protector
- Quick start guide + TouchFLO 3D quick guide + accessories guide
- Warranty card + “HTC Care” leaflet (contact numbers for worldwide service points)
- Two additional product identification (IMEI and serial number) labels
- Windows Mobile “Getting Started” CD-ROM
- Touch Diamond Application CD-ROM (includes: user manual, Sprite Backup software, Sbp GPRS Monitor software, WorldCard Mobile software, CE-Star software, Cyberon Talking Dictionary Software)**

** Software included may depend on the market in which it was purchased.

{1} The Touch Diamond featured in this review originated from the Hong Kong market.
{2} The Touch Pro featured in this review originated from the Australian market.

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