HTC Touch HD: Eye-Candy, Lots of It!

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.mobifrance.com/news/2008-09-18/id12999/Photos-et-impressions-sur-le-HTC-Touch-HD/' target='_blank'>http://www.mobifrance.com/news/2008...e-HTC-Touch-HD/</a><br /><br /></div><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/spt/auto/1221762991.usr2.jpg" border="1" /></p><p>The iPhone 3G may only be a mere two months old, but it's already looking lackluster next to the <a href="http://www.htc.com/www/product.aspx?id=64790" target="_blank">HTC Touch HD</a>. If you're not already drooling, take a look at the video after the break, as well as the pictures at <a href="http://www.mobifrance.com/news/2008-09-18/id12999/Photos-et-impressions-sur-le-HTC-Touch-HD/" target="_blank">MobiFrance</a> (<a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http://www.mobifrance.com/news/2008-09-18/id12999/Photos-et-impressions-sur-le-HTC-Touch-HD/&amp;hl=en&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;sl=fr&amp;tl=en" target="_blank">translated version</a>). As <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/news/show/90604/htc-touch-hd-now-here-s-some-sexy-hardware.html" target="_blank">revealed on Monday</a>, the Touch HD packs a Qualcomm MSM 7201A 528MHz processor, 288MB RAM, 512MB ROM, a 5.0-megapixel camera, and a gorgeous 3.8" WVGA (480 x 800) touch screen, with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, A-GPS, an FM radio, and a microSD slot thrown in for good measure. It's just too bad this particular version only sports 900/2100MHz HSDPA connectivity; so, if you're in the US, Australia, or anywhere else that uses 850MHz, you'll have to wait your turn.</p><p><MORE /></p><p><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="425" height="344" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/eisadEADpwk&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/eisadEADpwk&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></p>

[PdaAddict]

I wanted to get the Touch Pro but now I have second thoughts. Touch HD looks like a real "Dream" device!!

[ianl]

As you noted, Darius, it lacks the 850Mhz for 3G in Aus.

HTC has made a dumb marketing decision here (well, surprise me)

One advantage from this is that it will help bring down the price of the Eten xx900 series in the process of retail release. Eten have kept quad-band GSM and tri-band UMTS

[Fritzly]

Excellent screen but the problem is that WM 6 does not support "touch functionalities" as well as the IPhone. now if HTC would sell it with a timely, guaranteed upgrade to VM7 I would seriously consider it but because this is very unlikely I remain at the window checking...

[Phronetix]

Cool. This is the first device since the first iPhone was released last year that has even remotely intrigued me.

To be honest though, I suspect that the touch experience just could not measure up, and screen lust takes a back seat to usability.

Good detailed review as well.

[theon]

Correct me if I'm wrong. The functional aspect of the touch interface between the iPhone and WM devices is mainly due to the type of screen that is being used.

Is there anything holding back manufacturers from using the same capacitative screen as the iPhone for WM devices?

edit: 100th post!

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

HTC has mentioned it is sticking to resistive-type touchscreens (instead of the capacitive type used in the iPhone) because that will allow stylus input for the asian (read: Chinese) market.

[wolfzell]

Is there anything holding back manufacturers from using the same capacitative screen as the iPhone for WM devices?
Have you actually used the iPhone screen for more than a few minutes?

Beneath my good old HTC XDA neo I own an iPod Touch and everytime I am using it, I am instantly missing the stylus or the exactness I can get by simply using my fingernails.

Don't get me wrong, the Apple screens are fun to use and surprisingly exact, especially when using the browser and clicking tiny links, but for instance when I need to position a cursor in the text, the Apple "finger"-method for doing this is way slower and error-prone than doing it with the stylus.

I thought I might get used to it, but after 6 months I still struggle with the iPod Touch when I have to input text.

bye
Wolfgang

[DaleReeck]

Correct me if I'm wrong. The functional aspect of the touch interface between the iPhone and WM devices is mainly due to the type of screen that is being used.

Is there anything holding back manufacturers from using the same capacitative screen as the iPhone for WM devices?

edit: 100th post!

Well, there is the application issue. Many apps are designed for precise input with a stylus. A large number of apps would have to be re-written (with bigger buttons, fonts, etc) for iPhone-like compatibility.

By the way, I see from the picture that someone has a lot of iPhone apps installed :)

[Jeff_R]

Personally, I find the usability of the iPhone to so far exceed any WM device I've used (and I've used a lot of them, going back to an iPaq 1910 and continuing through my most recent, the HTC Touch) that I won't go back until WM gets a usability revamp. To me, the iPhone screen is great, and using WM again for a higher-res screen isn't worth it. WM just stood still for too long.

[theon]

I understand the issue with the need for exactness with input in most cases. To me, the main benefit with the iPhone screen is the size. This allows the keyboard to be made large enough for decent usability.

With regards to this, everyone just seems to gel the fact that you can only use capacitative screens with a finger. From what I've seen of after market items, this is not necessarily the case as there are 3rd party styluses that use some material that seems to work on these screens. What's stopping someone from incorporating a stylus coated in this material? I haven't actually used one of these myself, but I'm guessing that it should be doable.

Imagine a Touch HD with capacitative screen that works with a stylus as well...

And yes, I have been using WM devices since the first gen Compaq iPaq and I'm now using both a TYTNII and an iPhone as well as an iPod Touch so I'm pretty familier with the interfaces.

Sidenote: I can't believe I paid 450USD for a 64MB CF card last time.

[Jason Dunn]

Correct me if I'm wrong. The functional aspect of the touch interface between the iPhone and WM devices is mainly due to the type of screen that is being used.

What makes the iPhone experience great for fingers it the software, not the type of screen. Windows Mobile just isn't designed for purely touch-based input, regardless of how many slick programs you pile on top of it. :(

[UCCOFFEE]

This Touch HD is more like the Original XDAII without the Navigation pad.
I rather they keep the navigation pad... But I think they need to cut those to make it less than 150g. Nevertheless, it's still relatively heavy :P
Optimal weight should be like a HP IPAQ 1910 , 4.23 ounces or 120 grams. 150g is aceptable :D

Hopefully they ll release a slide out keyboard version which is less than 140g ...

Personally I think HTC is trying to make the windows mobile more trendy and more like a phone.
I think that's somehow losing the original concept of pocket pc phone, which is a MOBILE INTERNET DEVICE, with phone funcion ... hmmm

Anyway, time will tell how well it goes.
Should have bought HTC shares in 2001.... :(

[Menneisyys]

Imagine a Touch HD with capacitative screen that works with a stylus as well...


That won't really happen, unless someone invents something like that, like the way some (capacitive, NOT resistive!) Tablet PC's work. These tablet PC's, however, all require a (semi-)active pen like that of Wacom; that is, even if the pen could be produced this small (dunno if it physcally can be - after all, they my contain a LOT of wires to allow for passive, battery-less use), you wont't be able to press the screens with other styli or your fingernail.

(I would forget the "capacitive touchscreen combined with a resisitve layer beneath it" - to my knowledge, it's, currently, impossible to implement.

Too bad the non-Chinese (Japanese) market is so small that the ones of us not using / speaking Chinese / Japanese / other Kanji- or alike-based languagesdon't get a strictly capacitive screen from HTC...

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

What makes the iPhone experience great for fingers it the software, not the type of screen. Windows Mobile just isn't designed for purely touch-based input, regardless of how many slick programs you pile on top of it. :(

It's both. I cannot imagine using my iPod touch if it had a resistive screen.

[jasoncli]

Sorry to be a negative nancy here, but if it's Windows Mobile device, then the alarms won't work and notifications will still be messed up. After 10+ years I've about given up hope of having a reliable MS based PIM. 99% isn't reliable enough for alarms, because your boss remembers the one time you were late to an important meeting more then the other 99 times you were on time. Until MS fixes this fundamental issue, I have my doubts concerning any phone based on a MS operating system. Barring all that, this phone looks FAB-U-LOUS!

[Jason Dunn]

Sorry to be a negative nancy here, but if it's Windows Mobile device, then the alarms won't work and notifications will still be messed up.

I'll offer my own opinion on this then, being a "Positive Pete". ;) I haven't had a problem with alarms or notifications on Windows Mobile for...four years? My iPAQ 2215 was the last device I had where I saw alarms not firing, etc. So I very firmly believe this issue isn't as widespread as some people make it sound, and I'd love to know why some people seem to have it on every device they use - that makes me think it's from third party software they're installing.

Do you have reminder alarms not firing? If so, what kind of device are you using? What OS? Have you ever hard reset it and just run "stock" for a couple of weeks to see what happens?