"HP has produced several Windows Mobile products over the years. From the iPAQ and Jornada PDA's to the iPAQ Windows Mobile phones they have created a bit of history with the Microsoft operating system. HP hopes to continue its strong history with Windows Mobile with the Glisten Announced a few weeks ago, the Glisten is a front-facing QWERTY keyboard, touch screen Windows phone is available through AT&T as well as directly from HP. We had an opportunity to take a pre-production model of the Glisten out for a test drive and found it to a nice phone."
WMExperts has taken a look at the latest iPAQ offering and in the end they like it! For a pretty exhaustive write-up and some nice pictures, take a look at their review!
"A video review of HTC's flagship Windows Mobile Touch screen phone, the HD2. This is the first Windows Mobile phone with a capacitive touch screen, and the glass display measures 4.3". The HD2 runs Windows Mobile 6.5 with HTC's Sense UI which is their new version of TouchFLO 3D. It has a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, 488 megs RAM, a 5 MP autofocus camera with dual LED flash, WiFi, Bluetooth and a GPS. This is one of the best smartphones we've seen and is definitely worth a look!"
Lisa Gade from MobileTechReview does a great walk-through of the HTC Touch HD2. I haven't had a chance to shoot mine yet, so until then, enjoy...
"I understood that Windows Mobile 6.5 was going to be a fairly minor update to bridge the gap between WM 6.1 and 7, but as I stated in my Windows Mobile 6.5 review I found too many things still missing from the update that I expected to see even with this understanding. Given the experiences I had with 6.5, I was expecting the same issues on the HTC HD2. I was pleased to discover that HTC didn't just settle for Windows Mobile 6.5.0 and took it to the next level with several optimizations to make the experience better. There are still a couple of issues I want to see addressed in an update prior to Windows Mobile 7, but HTC did a great job with the HD2 and we may see updates to address these issues too."
Matt Miller has put together a great write-up that talks about the HTC HD2 that he was given at Mobius 2009, and about the latest version of HTC Sense (Touchflo 3D) that covers up even more of Windows Mobile 6.5. HTC has done a really good job of hiding Windows Mobile - perhaps too good of a job. For instance, it took me several days of searching off and on to find the interface panel that would allow me to set how much of an email to download (5KB, 10KB, etc.). HTC hides this part of the interface - I had to access Inbox via the "real" shortcut rather than HTCs covered-up interface. All in all though, I really appreciate the work that HTC has done to make Windows Mobile finger-friendly - their calendar program and new appointment interface is absolutely brilliant.
"I've been honoured to have the HD2 in daily use for the last six weeks (thanks O2) and I'm very impressed with all aspects of its design and function - The Sense tabs that replace the Titanium interface work beautifully well and the deeper integration that HTC have done to hide the somewhat finger unfriendly WM6.5 interface make the device a joy to use - and yes I can say that the stylus has not been missed at all. The speed of the HD2 has to be seen to be believed (videos to follow) everything feels fast and smooth from the transitional tab navigation in the Sense screen to the speed of scanning photos in flow mode, or flicking through large pictures in the Album itself. Transitions from portrait to landscape modes in applications is nigh on instant and the same can be said when zooming in and out of photographs using the two finger pinch system. At one point I actually found I had fourteen applications loaded in the background (including heavyweight items like the Album) and there was no slow down in operation and no applications had auto-closed in the background. During the time I've used the HD2 there have been no problems with the device heating up or behaving in an adverse manner in any way."
I normally don't like to quote as much as I did above from 4WinMobile's review. However you can believe me when I say that I'm not quoting any more than my normal percentage! This thing is massive! And with more screenshots than you can shake a stick at (ANY stick.. large or small), it is worth a read. And I'm fairly sure it would make even the most ardent iPhone supporter admit that the UI is quite nice!
"The HTC HD2 is the world's first Windows Mobile-toting phone with a capacitive screen, and also packs the world's largest mobile phone display too. It's also the first WinMo phone to use HTC's Sense UI, previously used on the company's Android handsets, bringing with it Facebook integration and direct Twitter access, as well as masking well the operating system beneath it."
In an extensive review of the HD2 TechRadar compares it to the iPhone (What else is new?) and while a complete review in it's own right, it does make me wonder: Is it fair to compare a business-oriented OS to a consumer-oriented? Or is it just that Windows Mobile doesn't fit nicely into purely business or purely consumer spaces?
"We have waited long for this device, but finally it's here. There were a lot of rumors about the HD2, also known as HTC Leo. Some people believed it would be a (killer) Android device and others told us that it would be the first HTC device with the 1 Gigahertz Snapdragon processor and a capacitive screen. The last party was right. The HTC HD2 has been released to the public with a Snapdragon processor, a large 4,3″ capacitive touchscreen, lots of ROM and RAM and all this in a 11 mm tick housing. Currently there is no other phone with these impressive specifications and comparing it to an iPhone 3GS only reveals that HTC has done a very good job and beats the iPhone in every single way!"
This article is a great walk-through of the HTC HD2. I learned several new things about the HD2 after reading it - the most interesting of which is that HTC has created a Wi-Fi Router application. It takes your 3G connection and shares it out via Wi-Fi, which is quicker than setting up the built-in Internet Sharing application. I'm curious how badly it beats up the battery life though - when I'm using Internet Sharing over Bluetooth, I can practically watch the battery on my Samsung Blackjack II drain. The HD2 is a very exciting device - and if it really does arrive in North America by early 2010, it just might become my next device.
"Having seen Acer´s first Windows phones (the DX900, X960, F900 and M900), it´s time we had an all round look at the first Windows Mobile 6.5 devices of the manufacturer. Brace yourself and get ready for a most exciting adventure full of unexpected twists and breathtaking moments. Let´s get started on our journey to Acer´s world by taking a closer look at the Acer beTouch E200, a device aimed at people on the lookout for a Windows phone with numeric keypad."
phoneArena takes a look at the Acer beTouch E200, a phone that can be purchased from our hardware partner Expansys for a fairly reasonable $409.99 USD. As far as new Windows Mobile 6.5 phones go, this one brings something a bit different to the table: a 12-key keypad. What shocked me? Apparently Windows Media Player Mobile can actually handle Xvid and Divx files. Stunning - I never thought I'd see the day. Is this the norm with other 6.5 devices, or just some secret sauce that Acer added?
"We've had access to a Windows Phone running an official Windows Mobile 6.5 build for a few days and found it to be an impressive, stable, responsive operating system. Windows Mobile 6.5 is graphically enhanced with the new Today Screen, colorful icons (or widgets as the youngsters call them) and an overall improvement over Windows Mobile 6.1."
WMExperts has published their review of Windows Mobile 6.5, and they've done a good job of comparing the old and the new, side by side. The new 6.5 interface is certainly prettier, but looking at the above screenshot, you can't help but notice that there's less information presented. Sure, the lock screen will show you your next appointment, but one of the things I've always liked about the Today screen is the amount of information available at a glance. I suppose this evolution is inevitable, as anyone who's used HTC TouchFlo 3D has gotten used to having less information presented on the home screen.
I was reading through some of the comments posted to the WMExperts article, and it got me wondering how many bugs and limitations have been addressed in Windows Mobile 6.5. Has the multi-computer sync story gotten any better? Has there been any improvements to Windows Mobile Device Center? I suspect the answer is "No" in most cases - I think Microsoft is so focused on cloud sync (read: Exchange Server) that they've forgotten that some people still want to connect the phone to their computer.
"The display is beautiful. Though not as vivid as the AMOLED display on the Samsung Impression QWERTY feature phone for AT&T, it's one of the nicer on the market. The mind-boggling 800 x 480 resolution is in itself impressive (a resolution shared with the HTC Touch HD and the HTC Touch Diamond2). The screen is very sharp (even tiny text is legible), colorful and bright. The phone's ambient light sensor can control display brightness and we found that it rarely raised brightness above 50%. Use manual brightness (at the possible expense of battery life) for an impressively bright display. The display is legible outdoors but does fade, making it hard to get a good sense of what you're shooting with the camera."
Yup, another HTC Touch Pro2 review - this time it's from our friends at MobileTechReview. They do a great job drilling down on everything that this new device from HTC has to offer...but they probably share my weariness in reviewing a swanky new phone and not being able to take full advantage of it in North America because it's stuck on pokey 2G speeds. I hope HTC evolves to the point where they can crank out a single phone that has all 3G bands in it, or can release a North American version at the same time as the Euro/Asian version.
"HTC used to equip their top range smart phones with wide, side sliding, full QWERTY keyboards that seem to have been largely successful, since the first, fifth generation device with the same form factor, the HTC Touch Pro2, has just been released. Unlike its predecessor, it´s larger rather than smaller and brings the round-shape design back into the game, chucking the edgy form all latest handsets of the same manufacturer stake on. The phone sports a huge 3.6-inch screen, awesome 5 row keyboard, mechanism that lets you tilt the display so you can see things better and a bunch of extra business features to drool over."
phoneArena does their usual excellent job looking at the latest and greatest from HTC: the Touch Pro2 [Affiliate]. This is HTC's flagship business professional phone, and it's both beautiful and big. phoneArena has a few gripes - apparently the call quality in terms of how others sound to you isn't that great - but the hardware is fast and responsive. And look at that keyboard! It practically screams "Type fast on me!". Video walkthrough after the break. Read more...
Posted by Darius Wey in "Pocket PC Articles" @ 08:03 PM
"Regardless of how the other HTC phones measure up, if you are looking for a slim, lightweight, power house of a Windows Mobile phone and don't mind the lack of a physical keyboard the HTC Touch Diamond 2 will be a tough phone to beat. The European version was very impressive and I can only expect that the U.S. version will be equally impressive."
Two HTC Touch Diamond2 reviews surfaced this week, courtesy of the folks at WMExperts and MoDaCo. With plenty of power, very few drawbacks, and a free Windows Mobile 6.5 upgrade scheduled to drop later in the year, it's hard saying "no" to this sleek device - well, assuming your accountant doesn't stand in your way.
"There is little question that Windows Mobile has been primarily geared for the enterprise market. While many - including me - have faulted Microsoft for forgetting the consumer market (or seeming so at time), few if any can question their ability to take the Windows Mobile platform and develop it into a world class mobile operating system for enterprise users. The platform simply does everything: Email, Word editing, Excel editing, PowerPoint viewing, OneNote synchronization, some have printing and PDF applications included (mostly HTC devices)... the list goes on. Which which phone is really the best when it comes to business needs?"
The "which is best" is a always a personal question - my needs in a business phone might not match up to your needs - but Clinton Fitch does his best to compare four phones on the market from the perspective of a frequent business traveller. He looks at the HTC S740 Windows Standard Phone, HTC Touch Pro Windows Professional Phone, HTC Advantage X7510 Windows Professional Phone, and the MWg Zinc II Windows Professional Phone. Check out his article and tell me if you agree with his assessment of these devices - for me, having a small and light email triage tool is the most important thing, so the Touch Pro and the Advantage wouldn't even be on my list to start (I'm using a Blackjack II right now). For some, data entry and document managemnt are more critical, so bigger phones with a better keyboard carry the day. What device do you carry, and why?
"We still like what we get in the Treo Pro, but at the same time can't help but look forward to the Pre. We're not quite sure where it fits in Sprint's lineup, given that HTC offers two devices that not only offer more features, but are better designed. Still, the Pro has a good design and will probably find its way into more than a few business suits."
Phone Arena has published a review of Sprint's Palm Treo Pro, which swaps GSM for CDMA. A few niggles aside, impressions are positive; however, with so many new, exciting, and more powerful devices on the horizon, this may be one device to avoid.
"Well folks, it's finally here: the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1a. That's the US version with 3G HSDPA on the US AT&T bands. The Xperia is sold in the US at SonyStyle stores in silver and at Best Buy stores in black (Fry's, J&R and other retailers also offer the silver version). Don't confuse the Xperia X1a with the overseas version Xperia X1i (no "a" for America) that lacks all of AT&T's 3G bands."
Read on, US and Canada readers, if you're trying to decide whether to pick one up from a Sony store. I'll leave the details of the conclusion to the article, but in short, the author really likes this device. If anyone has picked up the Americas version and wants to comment on how well it works here, chime in the thread!
"I'm not going to beat about the bush here, I'll just come right out with it. I just love the O2 XDA Zest. I am fortunate as a WM reviewer to have a good selection of the latest devices to hand and the Zest is my device of the moment. I have an HTC Touch Pro, an HTC Touch Diamond and several other high spec devices sat gathering dust on my shelf while the Zest goes in my pocket every morning and back on charge every night. I've been trying to figure out just why I find the Zest better than the smaller flashier Diamond for example and I think it all comes down to O2 and ASUS having found the perfect balance of hardware and software. On paper the Zest is not the best device in stores at the moment, and it's not the prettiest, but it's just so easy to use (once you replace the SIP keyboard that is). It’s complete. The fact that O2 have launched the Zest as their first PAYG XDA as well is utterly amazing. £250 for what in my opinion is the most usable device on the market today? That's just a bargain, and to be frank, you should all go and buy two today (everyone needs a spare!)."
4WinMobile has reviewed the ASUS-built Xda Zest and given it a whopping 91%. If you're looking for a device that hasn't been touched by the hands of HTC, this may fit the bill.
Posted by Jason Dunn in "Pocket PC Hardware" @ 10:14 AM
This is an unboxing and first impressions video of the HTC Touch Pro. This devices was given to me on loan by Expansys, and it currently (Nov 2008) retails for $799 USD. The HTC Touch pro is an evolution from the HTC TyTn, AT&T Tilt, etc. It packs a lot of functionality into a package that feels surprisingly good in your hand.
The HTC Touch Pro uses a Qualcomm MSM7201A CPU at 528 MHz, runs Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, and has 512 MB of storage ROM and 288 MB of system RAM. It is 102mm tall, 51mm wide, and 18.05mm thick. It weighs 165 grams with its 1340 mAh battery. It has a 2.8 inch VGA screen, GPS, Bluetooth 2.0, 802.11 b/g, and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. It's a quad-band GSM phone (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), and this model is set up for Europe/Asia 3G with 900/2100 MHz band coverage for HSPD/WCDMA for up to 2 mbps upstream and 7.2 mbps downstream. The main camera is a 3.2 megapixel camera with auto-focus and flash, and there's a front-facing VGA camera for video calling. It also has a microSDHC card slot and supports high-capacity cards, which are currently up to 16 GB in size.
Jason Dunn owns and operates Thoughts Media Inc., a company dedicated to creating the best in online communities. He enjoys photography, mobile devices, blogging, digital media content creation/editing, and pretty much all technology. He lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada with his lovely wife, and his sometimes obedient dog.
Do you enjoy using new hardware, software and accessories, then sharing your experience with others? Then join us on the Thoughts Media Review Team! We're looking for individuals who find it fun to test new gear and give their honest opinions about the experience. It's a volunteer role with some great perks. Interested? Then click here for more information.
"Some of us have been waiting months for this phone to hit the US, and it's a formidable successor to the HTC Tilt. In terms of looks and size, it's a flat out winner. Though thicker than QWERTY bar phones, its relatively small width and height mean it does feel overly large. The Fuze is feature-packed and call quality is good. But AT&T's heavy-handed branding, complete with a host of non-removable demo and subscription-ware make the phone seem less clean and responsive than the Sprint version. We'd like to sit down for a serious talk with the person who designed that annoying PTT button-- even if we intended to use that service, we wouldn't want to accidentally launch it nearly every time we handle the phone. On the upside, the Fuze has a superb VGA display, the second best web browser after the iPhone's Safari, and can handle all manner of syncing and email."
There's plenty to love about the AT&T Fuze, but according to MobileTechReview, the bloatware is a letdown. If you just picked up a Fuze, how are you finding it? Would you agree with MTR's assessment?
"One thing that stood out 1st and foremost when taking the HTC FUZE out of the box was it's size. You can look at pictures, you can check out size charts and the actual dimensions, but you can not describe the way a device feels in your hand in words. The FUZE just amazed me, it's not much smaller than the Tilt on paper, but when you hold it in your hands, it feels much smaller. It's not any lighter feeling and the bulk from the thickness is the same, but the feel of the FUZE in hand is quite awesome."
AT&T's latest and greatest Windows Mobile smartphone is reviewed in detail by Chris Leckness over at MobilitySite. Lot of pictures, lots of screen shots - worth the read if you're considering this as your next device...
"HP has announced two new Windows Mobile smartphones today - the iPaq Voice Messenger and Data Messenger. HP is pitching the smartphones at two different markets and the iPaq Voice Messenger is aimed at users who need a phone first; the iPaq Data Traveller is pitched at people looking for a more traditional smartphone."
I think HP has come up with quite a stylish design - this doesn't look like any other smartphone on the market, and that's a good thing. There's a video after the break, and the full specifications for those that want a break-down. Read more...
"For the most part we like what we see in the Treo Pro. Palm has always been good at making functional business devices, but they’ve lacked in the innovation department for a long time now. The Pro brings a complete makeover to the Treo line that is years overdue, but great nonetheless. Functionality remains par for the course, though we would have liked to see a prettier interface. HTC and SE have set a new bar for redesigning Windows Mobile, and while Palm has caught up in the hardware department they risk being left behind if their software efforts can’t keep up. They’ve made such strides, we’d hate to see them fall by the wayside once and for all. The Pro really is a good looking device, and hopefully marks an important step on Palm’s return to relevance."
It may not have the bells and whistles of HTC's Touch series, but it seems the Treo Pro still has the looks and functionality to win consumers over. If you've been eyeballing this one for a while and want another opinion before laying down the cash, take a look at Phone Arena's seven-page review, complete with high-res eye-candy.
