By Sandra Vogel, ZDNet UK on 15 July 2008 03:31 PM
Tags: htc, touch diamond, touchscreen, smartphone, vga, windows mobile 6.1, device
Manufacturer: HTC
My friend has imported the Touch Diamond from Hong Kong and I have a chance to play with it. The user interface is stunning. It takes me a while to learn to use it as it is very different to what I used to. But once I got the hang of it, it is very to use. And the performance is very smooth and fluid, contrary to what the reviewer said.
The good: Clean and elegant design and user interface. Most operation can be done with one hand. Very crisp (640x480) and bright screen.
The bad: Lacking external microSD support and qwerty keyboard. (I will go for the Touch Pro).
At least you can change the battery on this device unlike the Iphone.
The phone is a great size easy to operate but has no battery lif if you recieve continous emails. The only way you can get 3/4 of a day with the battery is to switch the email download to manual.I had a Imate Jasjam before I could get a full day with continous emails. Dissappointing so I am off to get a i phone
The good: size
The bad: battery life
The phone quality is not as good as,say, a Motorola and, when you call voice mail, the key pad disappears so you cannot tap the numbers to delete/save messages. (You have to slide open the keyboard). THe handling of calls - answer and hangup, etc seemed clunky nand resulted in me losing calls, inadvertantly putting them on hold, etc. The interface really doesnt suit a business user. The camera is pretty useless. The proprietory connector is a nuisance.
The good: The keyboard and stylus set up are both very good. The calendar arrangement works well. Syncing was easy.
The bad: The whole phone set up, the camera. Thedevice is not recognised (yet) by third party app providers so I cannot download programs that were a key reason for staying with a Windows machine.
I really regret getting this thing. When you're on voice call and asked to type in a number you have to get the touchpad back up. It's forever resetting itself or doing other stupid things while it's in your pocket. I can't send emails with it. I run out of windows when trying to use it for internet banking. Landscape mode doesn't work.
The good: Stylish fashion accessory Small
The bad: doesn't send emails very limited windows when using the internet landscape mode doesn't work resets itself in your pocket battery life isn't great difficult to type in numbers while on voice call
The Touch Diamond is a compelling prospect on paper, but the reality is, unfortunately, considerably less appealing.
RRP: AU$999.00
htc, Touch Diamond, touchscreen, smartphone, vga, Windows Mobile 6.1
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Products like this should include a super-cap (super capacitor) to keep the device going for, say, ten seconds whilst you replace a flat battery.
I have a two-year-old HP iPaq which was made by HTC and it still performs flawlessly so I have no reason to doubt this new phone wouldn't. Battery range could simply be extended with the above suggestion and inclusion of a second battery with the phone.