HTC isn't a company that's shy: over the past few years it has broken out from white label supplier to one of the most exciting and handset manufacturers in the smartphone sector. HTC is now synonymous smartphones, from Windows Mobile to Android and the company isn't afraid of making bold statements. The HTC HD2 can only be seen as that. We were fortunate enough to get our hands on the new model as it launched, and here are our first thoughts on it.

It stands up to Toshiba's TG01 handset, but puts into place a winning formula. Toshiba's handset is unwieldy, with a resistive screen which doesn't respond well to the touch and a software skin on Windows Mobile which offers little gloss and hardly enhances its performance.

The HTC HD2 is a stark contrast to this. The 4.3-inch, 800 x 480 pixel (WVGA) capacitive display puts a shine on even the blandest screen from Windows Mobile 6.5. The touch response is also incredible. You not only have acres of screen to play with, but it reacts with very little lag.

Yes, the HD2 is an enormous mobile phone, measuring 120.5 x 67 x 11mm and weighing in at 157g. But it has all the hallmarks of good design: it looks and feels luscious, with a brushed metal finish and stunning quality. Despite it's enormity, it actually feels comfortable in the hand.

Across the bottom of the screen are the regular complement of controls – the calling buttons, a Home button, the Windows and back buttons. By default the Home takes you to HTC's Sense UI and the Windows button opens the honeycomb Start menu.

On the bottom of the phone is a 3.5mm jack sitting alongside the Micro-USB connection. The only other external control you'll find is the volume rocker.

Sitting inside the HD2 is Qualcomm's Snapdragon chipset giving you 1GHz or processing power. This is backed by 448MB RAM and 512MB ROM. Of course you get a full complement of connectivity too – HSDPA, GPRS, EDGE, GSM, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi b/g. There is even an FM radio.

The neat thing about Wi-Fi is that the HD2 can be used for Wi-Fi tethering, so can function as a Wi-Fi router whilst you are out and about, using your phone's data connection.

Around the back you have a 5-megapixel camera supported by a dual LED "flash". It's an autofocus camera, but beyond that we didn't have the chance to look at anything else it offers.

Peter Chou described to HTC HD2 as an "intelligent phone" and this is certainly true thanks to a number of sensors that it has on-board. It features an accelerometer so will switch from portrait to landscape when you need it to. A proximity sensor lets the phone know when it is next to your face, shutting off the backlight. Cleverly, mid-call when you take the phone away from your face, it lights up again, so you can refer to something you've been discussing with a caller.

An ambient light sensor will also adjust the brightness of the screen for you, dimming it for bedtime viewing and boosting it in daylight.

There is also a GPS and digital compass. HTC also make a car kit for the HD2 (sold separately), making a departure from the normal plastic monstrosity you have to stick to the dashboard of your BMW. By changing the back panel of the phone, you'll get a twist connector to fix it to the slick metal rod mount.

Attaching to the car kit will switch over to the NaviPanel, which optimises the phone for using in your car, giving big buttons for calling and navigation. It looks fantastic and you can check it out in our photo gallery.

Of course the HTC HD2 runs on Windows Mobile 6.5, an operating system which comes with inherent problems. HTC has sidestepped many of the most apparent problems as they have done in the past by including their own skin on the device. HTC are now pushing this as HTC Sense, which we first saw on the HTC Hero.

When it comes to the crunch, HTC Sense on the HTC HD2 is very close to the HTC TouchFLO offering on other HTC Windows Mobile devices such as the Touch2. It has been tweaked and enhanced however, with luscious high-resolution icons giving it a premium look and feel. It is also incredibly responsive thanks to the raw power available here.

We didn't get a chance to explore or test HTC Sense to any great extent in our hands on, so from a performance point of view, with real-world data and populated with hundreds of contacts, we'll have to wait until we have had a chance to give it a full review.

But you get smart features like the grouping of interactions with a particular contact, which is the very essence of what HTC Sense is all about – shifting the focus from applications to people. So when you make a call, you'll be able to touch through tabs to access messages you've received from that person and so on.

In a nod to social networking, you'll find HTC Peep the company's popular Twitter client is installed and easily accessed through HTC Sense's shortcut bar. Running a finger across the bar at the bottom of the screen moves you through to a different section so you can dive into your contacts, emails, photos or music to name a few.

HTC has always been fanatical about weather, with TouchFLO offering smart weather apps for some time. The HTC HD2 takes weather to a new level. As standard it is integrated as part of their homepage in Sense, sitting just under the clock. But now rather than being a static icon, it is supported by full background animation.

When you wake up your phone in the morning, you'll be able to glance at it and lose yourself in the 3D animated weather rolling around the background of your phone. It really uses the sharp screen to best effect and we had a look at cloudy, stormy (complete with lightening), sunny and windy screens (with leaves blowing around). It has to be seen to be believed, it's absolutely stunning.

As we mentioned, this is a capacitive device, so that brings with it multi-touch support. Using the Opera browser, you'll now have finger zooming when you are browsing the Internet. It's very smooth and a world away from what Internet Explorer Mobile is offering on other devices with boring double tap zooming. The text reflow is also very fast, and with the screen size available, it is easy to browse full internet pages. It's just a shame that we're all still waiting for Flash video support.

HTC are claiming 8 hours of video playback, 12 hours of audio playback or about 5 hours of talk time over a 3G network from the 1230mAh battery.?

Verdict:

In the HTC HD2 you can see years of experience in dealing with Windows Mobile devices. The quality of the build and the construction, combined with HTC's Sense skin on Windows Mobile puts it a step ahead of rivals in this super screen size.

We were wowed by what we saw, with the multi-touch browsing really impressing. We've seen some sluggish Windows Mobile devices in our time and the HD2 cuts through it with sense and purpose. But we'll reserve judgement until we've lived with it for some time and given it a real world testing.

Will the HTC HD2 appeal to consumers? Perhaps not, but it may well find itself sitting in the hands of company CEOs all over the world. Peter Chou certainly looked comfortable with his.

Related links:

• Photos - HTC HD2 mobile phone
• Review - Window Mobile 6.5

Tags: Phones Mobile phones HTC HTC HD2 Windows Mobile Windows Phone

HTC HD2 - First Look originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:05:00 +0100

Windows Mobile 6.5 swoops in and ousts the 6.1 variation of the mobile phone operating system. We first got our hands on Windows Mobile 6.5 at Mobile World Congress back in February and today it finally comes to market on a slew of handsets from a number of different manufacturers. If you are after a Windows Phone, then from today you have the choice of all shapes and sizes.

The most surprising thing, perhaps, is that Windows Mobile 6.5 was outlined at the same event that saw the unveiling of the HTC Magic, which has since been supplanted. Such is the rapid pace of evolution in mobile phones, does Windows Mobile 6.5 earn its place in today's line-up of smartphones?

There are improvements across the board, but it's obvious from the name – 6.5 – that this is more of an upgrade than a complete redesign. At Tuesday's launch event for the "new" operating system, Microsoft representatives were careful not to comment on what we already know is incoming: Windows Mobile 7.

So what is Windows Mobile 6.5? It is essentially a stop-gap, plugging the holes apparent in previous editions of the operating system before we see more significant changes in the next iteration. But with such a long lead-time, there's every chance that consumers will find themselves stuck in a contract with 6.5, when 7 emerges. For business users this is perhaps less of an issue, but if you are forking out your hard earned cash, it's certainly a consideration.

Windows Mobile 6.5 is all about shifting from the awkward interface of 6.1 (which bears hallmarks going back to editions much, much, earlier), to a more consumer focus. In this regard it addresses a major hurdle in the fastest changing segment of the mobile phone market: touch control.

One of the biggest changes in recent times has been the adoption of capacitive screens over resistive. In the past, all Windows Mobile devices were resistive, but that's all set to change with this latest iteration. We've had our hands on the HTC HD2 which features a 4.3-inch capacitive display. The response is remarkable, completely changing what you expect from Windows Mobile, and a world away from the experience of Toshiba's TG01, it's closest hardware rival.

With this capacitive display comes multi-touch too, giving you the sort of features that Apple iPhone users have been enjoying for years. But not all Windows Mobile 6.5 users will experience this with their device. In fact, the demonstration by Microsoft to assembled journalists at the official launch saw an awkward dragging around of an internet page, jumping and staggering around. A stark contrast to what is actually possible.

Microsoft's new homepage is one of the first things to be obliterated by customisation from the manufacturer. The Windows Mobile default homepage presents a selection of major heading bars like pictures, music, through to email and text messages. On each bar you can scroll left and right too, so if you have multiple email accounts you'll get easy access to them. Make a selection on the homepage takes you with a tap through to that image. It isn't whizz-bang flashy, but works well enough.

Microsoft has made a point of adding features to the lock screen too, so rather than just giving you a method of unlocking your phone, you can see your next appointment and notification alerts, with easy access to things such as text messages. It's a mindful modification and considers the way that people actually use their phone.

6.5 users are presented with a new honeycomb menu system, arranging icons which can be easily tapped to launch an application. It works well enough, giving you a long list of your applications, including those you pickup from the Marketplace, or sideload. You can rearrange to a certain degree, sending icons to the top, but you don't get a multi-page arrangement to organise these icons. An application search is included, so it's perhaps not a problem.

Many menus have this honeycomb layout, which is fair enough – getting to your applications or settings is pretty easy, but then the stop-gap which is Windows Mobile 6.5 ends. Dive into the Sounds and Notifications menu for example and you are presented with small tick boxes and tiny tabs, regardless of all the screen real estate on offer.

In fact, these menus are almost identical to a 2002 to a Compaq iPAQ we found in the office, running Pocket PC ver 3. And therein lies the problem that blights Windows Mobile: at its core, it is still an antiquated system and as you dig into Windows Mobile 6.5, it becomes abundantly apparent.

Getting back to new features, your new smartphone now features Microsoft MyPhone. This is a feature we like, not only because it apes Apple's MobileMe offering, but because it is free. All you have to do is run a quick set-up on your device, plug in your Windows Live ID and away you go.

MyPhone backs up your handset to the cloud, a quick and easy process that costs you nothing but the data. It will take care of your contacts, calendar, tasks, text messages, favourites, photos, videos, music and documents. You get to select what you want to sync too, so if you don't want a record of banal text messages, you don't have to have them.

You can then share items through the MyPhone website, with connected social networking sites including Facebook, MySpace and Flickr, as well as the obligatory Windows Live network.

Other exciting features include viewing your phone's last known location. Great! If your phone is stolen, you can see where it got to, until the thief disabled the feature in the menus. "Premium" features include ringing the phone, seeing it on a map, locking it and erasing the content. The MyPhone website offers a "limited time offer" on these features, so if you are planning on having your phone pinched, you'd better do it fast.

The Marketplace is another addition to your smartphone. It has been a long time coming and Windows Mobile users will appreciate finding applications in a central location, rather than having to fish around for them. The Marketplace is currently going through plenty of changes and in the last 2 days we've seen content come and go. Launch teething troubles, we hope.

The interface is rather basic and lacks the gloss you'll find on other devices from the Android Market to the BlackBerry App World. But there is a capable search function and you can select to browse only the free stuff if you want. It's a little early to judge at the moment, but first impressions are a little underwhelming.

The final major overhaul comes in the form of Internet Explorer Mobile. Browsing the Internet on the move has seen massive growth over recent years, fuelled by increasingly affordable data packages and enhanced solutions. Microsoft's Mobile browsers have never been very well received and Internet Explorer looks to change all that.

In reality, it's a bit of a clunky experience still. Double tap zooming in and out, dragging the pages around with a finger, it doesn’t really impress. No surprise then that HTC's CEO Peter Chou demoed multi-touch on the HTC HD2 with the Opera browser. It's free and still delivers the better experience.

Verdict:

But the killer criticisms of Windows Mobile still persist. If you want to close an application, you are faced with a tiny X in the top right-hand corner. Come to make a selection and often you are presented with a small Menu or Done button across the bottom, which is just as frustrating as it always has been. This, unfortunately, is the enduring impact that you are left with.

As a mobile phone operating system it is clear that Windows Mobile 6.5 is still a long way behind the pack. This update doesn’t bring it up to the offerings from Apple or Android which are gunning in the same market and walking off with the fat consumer contracts. Yes, Windows Mobile still delivers stalwart business support and when we hooked it up to our Windows 7 PC to sync with Outlook, the sync process swung in and took over. No messing around, no hiccups, and easy to solve conflicts. It may also be the only operating system that your company will support.

The experience that you get from Windows Mobile will differ greatly from device to device. Today we have seen handsets from Samsung, LG, HTC and Toshiba: all are different, but all have 6.5 lurking under the skin. In this battleground for your slightly-too-sensible smartphone, the lines are drawn out between Microsoft and all the manufacturers. Windows Mobile won't sell itself, but the Sense UI or S-Class interface might just.

These third-party skins can change many aspects of your device, not least including the keyboard. Today we've seen four different on-screen keyboards, QWERTY handsets, sliders and touch phones from the compact Samsung Omnia Lite to HTC's massive HD2.

The choices are almost overwhelming, but cut to its core Windows Mobile 6.5 isn't drastically different from its predecessors. Having seen the stark difference between device performance today, it is clear that there will still be "good" and "bad" devices to choose from.

Tags: Phones Mobile phones Windows Phone Windows Mobile HTC Samsung LG Toshiba Microsoft Windows Mobile

Windows Mobile 6.5 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:55:15 +0100

With the coming of the HTC Touch2 we have not only a new device, but a new version of the Windows Mobile operating system. Will this rush in a new wave of love for the Windows Phone?

The Touch2 follows HTC's trend of updating handset models without having to stretch to a new and exciting name. The HTC Touch was, as the name suggested, a full touch Windows Mobile model with HTC's TouchFLO running over the top. Two-years later, and here we have the Touch2, a Windows Mobile model with HTC's TouchFLO running over the top...

The handset takes on a slim and compact profile, measuring 104 x 55 x 12.9mm and weighing 110g. The compact dimensions are partly due to the 2.8-inch QVGA (240 x 320) resistive touchscreen display. It is small for a modern touchscreen phone and the resolution isn't the highest out there. This is shown up especially by Windows Mobile, which hasn't quite embraced the slick user interface you'll find elsewhere.

The Touch2 sits reasonably well in the hand, with soft curved back edges. Although it is constructed entirely from plastic, it seems to pull it off, feeling of solid construction.

The top sees a 3.5mm jack and around the back is the 3.2-megapixel camera, but no flash. A stylus can be found lurking in the bottom right-hand corner and a microSD card slot on the left. It's that bizarre sort of slot that wants you to take the back cover off to access it, but still has an external flap.

Ranging across the bottom of the screen is the zoom bar, allowing you to zoom in and out of web pages, maps and pictures so long as you are using the right application to view them, with multi-touch still not supported by Windows Mobile. Beneath these range a line of hard controls, flanked by the two regular calling buttons.

You might have heard that Microsoft suggested that Windows Phones (or those running Windows Mobile 6.5) should all have a Windows button and a back button, which you'll find here. The Windows button sits next to the Home button, giving the HTC Touch2 a wicked split personality.

Press the Home button and you spring into HTC's wonderful Dr Jekyll TouchFLO skin. Press the Windows button and Mr Hyde crawls out in the form of Windows Mobile 6.5. We are being facetious perhaps, but only because of the disappointment that comes with this latest iteration of Windows Mobile.

HTC's TouchFLO skin is something we like. We've seen it before on a number of devices and it is perfectly useable. It doesn’t have the wow factor that you get with their latest Android device the HTC Hero, but is makes Windows Mobile much more accessible. We only wish it integrated further into Windows Mobile.

Through TouchFLO you get access to contacts, messaging, mail, the Opera browser, photo and video viewer, music, weather, Google Map search and program launcher. These can be edited to suit your requirements, so you can add your contacts and programs of choice to give quick access.

In some cases you get a bespoke application (like the Opera browser over Internet Explorer) and sometimes it just takes you into the application behind. Browsing the Internet is a little awkward through both browsers. One of the new features in Internet Explorer is being able to force a "desktop" or "mobile" mode, but you have to route through several layers of menu to get there, and the lower resolution display doesn't do the small view any justice.

Pressing the Windows button (or tapping the Start logo in the top left corner) launches you into Windows Mobile 6.5 proper. Windows Mobile 6.5 isn't a major departure from 6.1 (hence the same 6.x designation). Microsoft have been talking about these changes since February 2009, aiming to improve the experience for touch users, over the somewhat cumbersome system that needed a stylus for almost everything.

In that vein you now have the honeycomb Zune-alike Start menu full of icons, so you can scroll and tap what you want. Thereafter the experience is very mixed: some applications respond well to touch, some are terrible. All too often you are faced with the same old drop down menu style, for example to select a file location, which is nigh on impossible to do with a finger.

Addressing the changing needs of smartphone users, Windows now has its own Marketplace so you can quickly find applications for your phone. It works very much as the Android Market or App Store does, offering searching, including a "free" filter, so you don't have to browse the paid-for apps.

Windows Mobile 6.5 ushers in a collection of cloud support too, offering backup and sharing options, although it is surprising to find that photo and video sharing, i.e., to YouTube or Facebook, isn't supported at OS level by default. You have to enable MyPhone before these options appear, presumably because Microsoft sends the images from the online space rather than from the device itself. You also get remote options to find you phone and wipe the data, as offered on the iPhone and more recently phones like the Motorola DEXT.

HTC has done it's best to improve the keyboard. You get three options, 12-key, 21-key and full QWERTY which you can select as you wish. The response from a finger isn't great, it doesn't compete with the iPhone or the HTC Hero, but you get used to it. Predictive text entry tried to second guess you and will speed things up somewhat. However, the stylus does make for very quick entry – especially if you are practiced. Much as we dislike using a stylus, at times you get the feeling you need it here.

In terms of hardware specs, the HTC Touch2 is very much a phone of the moment. You'll find HSDPA, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. There is an FM radio too, not something you always find on smartphones. You also get GPS (with a 14-day trial of Copilot).

The 3.2-megapixel camera ia average, but the lack of flash limits its use indoors or in low light. The results aren't great and don't compete with those phones designed for taking photos. Video capture comes in at a maximum resolution of 352 x 288 pixels, again, which could be easily bettered.

The battery life isn't the best. Using it throughout testing, we found it needed charging overnight, which is pretty much average for this type of device.

Verdict:

With the HTC Touch2 you get a compact device that will appeal to those who need to have a Windows Mobile device to support their office activities or business on the move. Whilst you can find this in other devices, there is no doubt that syncing with Windows 7 was an absolute breeze. Document support, Exchange email and PDF readers are all to be found here. The 3.5mm jack and radio will also make it appealing to commuters.

The HTC TouchFLO interface sweetens the deal somewhat, making this a Windows Mobile phone that is more pleasurable to use than a raw Windows device. But that said, if it is just a touchscreen device that you are after, with an interest in browsing and sharing your media on the move, then there are more compelling offerings elsewhere.

Tags: Phones Mobile phones HTC Windows Phone HTC Touch2 Windows Mobile

HTC Touch2 mobile phone originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:30:00 +0100