Not surprising, despite news of legal issues being thrown back and forth between HTC and Apple, the smart phone manufacturer has been able to establish itself as an industry leader in the development of the Android smart phone. For one thing, their HTC Desire, Hero end Legend trio are continuously reigning on top of the Android charts –only giving a slight way to the Motorola Milestone when it came out during the holiday season.

Of course, HTC’s strong Android presence is also backed by the fact that they have been part of the development of the OS since the very beginning. HTC is among the founding members of the Open Handset Alliance and has been the manufacturer behind many Android smart phones –including the G1 and even the Google Nexus One.

More than just an Android leader, HTC has also been a prominent figure for Microsoft’s mobile platforms. The HTC HD2 is the best selling Windows Mobile handset and the company is now working on the recently leaked HTC Gold (formerly the Mondrian), a high end WP7 smart phone that is expected to come out later this year.

Speaking of the Gold, the handset has been leaked along with two other HTC devices, the Ace and the Vision. While little is known about the Ace at this point, the HTC Vision will be taking a page out of Motorola’s book by introducing the very first HTC Android that comes with a slide out QWERTY keyboard.

For those wondering, yes, the Touch Pro2 is technically an old smart phone from early last year. However, the handset never really made it to UK store shelves as it was originally released as a Verizon exclusive in the UK. Unlike the Motorola DROID which was brought over locally in a matter of weeks, the HTC WinMo smart phone was basically forgotten for more than year. Still, it makes for an excellent option for those who find the high end HTC HD2 a tad too excessive.

In terms of features, the Touch Pro2 was pretty much top of the line when it was first announced. But compared to the newer smart phones of today, it makes for a very well rounded mid range business handset.

At first look, this device looks like a typical smart phone with a large 3.6 inch touch screen, but slide out the physical QWERTY keyboard and tilt the screen and the device reveals its second form: it works like a mini netbook –allowing users to type fast and easily, provided they find a place to sit down and a table to work on.

This makes the Touch Pro2 pretty handy to have when you need to make the most of your time while outside the office. It allows you to work on documents and emails with the speed and efficiency of being in front of a desktop computer (well, not exactly, but it comes pretty close).

Lastly, the phone runs on an efficient Qualcomm Snapdragon QSD8250 CPU clocked at 1GHz. Overall, it is a powerful device that should be more than enough to run the new Windows Phone 7 series mobile operating system. Sadly, this will never happen.

Microsoft has been clear not only about specifying the specific chassis types for the upcoming devices which will use the new OS but also in declaring that the series 7 will be used only on new devices.

Aside from the fact that WP7 has very strict hardware requirements, Microsoft has also announced that they will continue supporting the WinMo system and will be renaming the OS as Windows Phone Classic when WP7 arrives.

The reason for continuing support of the older OS is because the newer operating system is focused more on the needs of general users. With this, Microsoft will not be able to address the needs of its business clients. To maintain their hold of the business sector, industry experts predict that the older WinMo OS will have to be updated with business-centered features. This will give Microsoft two choices for their clients: the Windows Phone 7 for regular users and Windows Phone Classic for business users. Under this scheme, the HTC HD2 will be able to be aimed towards business clients.

Vodafone UK does not have the HD2 device available to regular customers, but a business plan is still available for those who are looking for it. Considering the fact that Vodafone UK has a provision means that the HD2 is highly marketable as a business device.

Read more about the WP7 on the HTC HD2 at Engadget.

It runs on a Snapdragon processor clocked at 1GHz and uses a large capacitive touch screen for user input. While the WinMo OS has long been criticized for its user interface that requires the use of a stylus (and in turn, a resistive touch screen), HTC gets around this flaw by making use of the HTC Sense user interface.

This is the very reason why, to this day, the HTC HD2 is the only WinMo 6.5 device that uses a capacitive touch screen. The HD2 even got a sequel, the HD Mini which features WinMo 6.5.3 Maldives –also on a capacitive touch screen.

It is the fact that Windows Mobile is running on such good hardware that many are assuming that the smart phone will be compatible for an update with the upcoming Windows Phone 7 series.

Sadly for current users of the HD2, there will be no updates to the new OS; not now, and from the looks of it, not ever. This is because the HD2’s hardware is not sufficient to handle the requirements of the new OS. Even with the Snapdragon processor, the heavy hardware requirements of the OS would require a phone with even better specifications.

The Taiwanese company has already announced that they will be releasing a new device for the new OS later this year –but it looks like LG is going to be the first manufacturer to come out with a WinMo device.

In some ways, Microsoft did a great job by not releasing an update patch. The sales of devices that will be using the new OS will certainly be hurt if it was possible to use Windows Mobile on older devices.

Get to know more about the HD2 and WP7 at GSM Arena.

The fact that you can now place you HTC HD2 on the table and have it stand on its own is not really that much of a big deal, but the fact that the new battery adds plenty of hours of usage really is impressive.

Extended batteries always have the drawback of being large and bulky. Of course, it is one of those things you only purchase if you really need it. So the next time you know that you might just want to go out for several days, this extended battery would be great to pack with the regular battery.

The new battery is a full 2300 mAh lithium ion battery. It delivers plenty of hours of continuous use at the cost of a slightly bulkier phone. The HD2 itself is a very slim phone, so if you have gotten used to it, the extra thickness will certainly be very noticeable. A small flap on the back turns into a kick stand for the device to prop it up.

For those who are unfamiliar with the HTC HD2 it is one of the more successful Windows Mobile devices for the use of the HTC Sense user interface as a skin over the WinMo OS. This workaround brought the features and functions of the OS to the users without the annoying WinMo user interface. Thanks to the Sense, the HD2 uses a capacitive touch screen.

The design of the WinMo OS is made in such as way that pressing icons and buttons requires a stylus, using a finger on the screen is difficult because of this and as such, the WinMo was geared towards resistive touch screens more. No word has been given if the HD2 is updatable to the upcoming WinMo 6.5.3 Maldives update.

Get more news on the extended battery for the HTC HD2 at GSM Arena.

Performing the update, users will have to make sure Active synch is installed on their system should a user have the windows XP. The download can only be carried out only when the device is connected and synchronization of the phone and the computer through the software, after which the installation must be made.

The software which is an executable file can be downloaded over the internet, precisely from HTC site. According to the company, “copy the update which is an .exe file, to your device. To install the update, tap the .exe file and follow the on-screen instructions.”

It still remains to be seen if the latest update will resolve pending issues, but the company has this to say “This phone and its twin LED flash will take beautiful pictures for you to cherish your memories. Displayed in brilliant vibrant colors on its 4.3 inch screen, HTC HD2 camera will delight you.” The Taiwanese company has a record of producing devices that have met market needs in the past, and one can only expect that this time around, they have finally lay to rest every issue that needed to be resolved.

The world mobile market today is experiencing a lot of competition and mobile phone users have never had it so good compared to the past when the market was less competitive. More players have since moved into the market, and a lot of time and money is pumped into research and development of new features and innovations in order to stay on top.

Availability and Specs

As of this moment, there are HTC HD2 deals on both Vodafone and T-Mobile UK; at certain plans, you can get the device for free. Regardless of the contract you get, this phone is more than worth it.  As stated above, you a 4.3 inch capacitive touch screen display. The screen is more than just big, it is also high resolution –a whopping 480 x 800 Wide VGA.

The processor is the famed 1 GHz Snapdragon and it makes for a smooth running for both the Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional operating system and the HTC Sense interface. The 1230 mAh lithium ion battery provides sufficient power for days of usage. Standby time is rated at 390 hours while talk time is good for up to 6 hours on 3G. Playback time for videos is good for a whole 8 hours (though that would be really pushing the user more than the phone).

Getting by with Windows

Windows 6.5 may be bane for many people, but most HD2 Reviews have no qualms with the OS thanks to HTC’s workarounds. For those of you who rue the Internet Explorer Mobile, fret not, the HD2 has Opera Mobile preinstalled; connecting to the internet is easy with 3G HSDPA, WiFi, EDGE and if you really need it, GPRS.

The eclectic HTC HD2 is now obtainable with the Vodafone UK network and you can decide on the tariff plan that catches your fancy, whether 18 or 24-month contract. You are entitled to a free HD2 if you decide to opt for the £35 monthly tariff and 24 month contract while you have to pay £40 monthly if you opt for the 18 month contract plan.

It is worthy stating that these offers are similar to those of Orange’s iPhone and consumers have a battle in selecting which network and plan to go for although it depends basically on the mobile device and not the operator.

You can get more details about the offers from Vodafone UK Website.