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T-Mobile G2 Touch. Groundhog Day?

Martin — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:02:19 +0000

Sometimes are pickled brains get confused. Most often this is our own fault, the result of too many warm lagers and pickled eggs at lunch times. But sometimes, too, it’s someone else fault. And today it’s the fault of T-Mobile, because when we realised it was time to bring you news about the T-Mobile G2 Touch, we go the thing in our hands and felt a little bit giddy. It was like history was repeating, like something out of Groundhog Day, in fact. And there’s nothing that makes you giddy more than imagining yourself as Bill Murray, trust us. Then, finally, it clunked into place: The T-Mobile Touch is a phone we’d told you all about as recently as 17 July – just see below if you don’t believe us – under its other (and more official) name: the HTC Hero.

As this T-Mobile G2 Touch review shows, as do the details on the official page too if you fancy a look, this thing is literally the same as the HTC Hero, just given a bit of a T-Mobile whitewash. The HTC Hero, in fact, is only available currently on Orange, so you now have a simple to way choice: like the cut of T-Mobile’s jib: then head for the G2. Like your world a bit more Orange… then get on down to the HTC Hero town. We’re off to go and re-watch that 1993 classic and see if Bill Murray’s hair really was as bad as we remember it… we’re guessing yes.

HTC Hero. A little from column A, a little from column B

Martin — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:18:02 +0000

We’re caught in two minds about the HTC Hero. Yes, it looks like it’s going to be a more than decent Android phone. And, as you probably know if you’ve read our previous rants about Android phones: we love them more than just about anything else out there at the moment. And yes, the new User Interface that they’re debuting on it, called Sense, is pretty decent. But there’s just something lacking, some final 5% that doesn’t quite seem to be there. It’s a little bulky, at nearly 15mm thick. The battery life isn’t that great, with HTC only able to promise a single day’s use for ‘heavy’ usage (i.e. using all the things they put on there). The camera’s not a killer.

But then it does have an awesome teflon coating and fingerprint resistant screen, meaning our chip fat oiled fingers can play around with it with confidence. It’s capacitive touchscreen is equally amazing, and the pushes-you-back-as-you-type onscreen keyboard is a work of genius, quite possibly the best keyboard we’ve seen on a touchscreen, in fact.

But then they’ve felt the need to suppress the Google-ness of the phone, removing all logos and direct access to firmware updates and Android Market (you can still access both, it’s just a bit more of a pain in the ass).

But the dedicated search button is fantastic.

But then most of what they’re shouting about with the new Sense UI has been seen before.

But but but… can you see the dilemma reader. Can you see how, with the HTC Hero, we can’t find our usual stride, we can’t rant in ecstatic joy or hell-like pain about anything it has to offer. But maybe that’s a good thing, right? Bah. Anyway, maybe you can make your own minds up via the official product overview, or using this handy HTC Hero review. No? Try this video on for size instead.

HTC Magic. Mmm, Google

Martin — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:00:27 +0000

One of only three Android phones currently known about in any detail (the G1 for which this is the follow-up and the Samsung i7500 making up the others), the HTC Magic is out, ready and waiting for your Google-hungry fingers already.

For those who were familiar with the G1, the biggest difference between the two is actually an omission – the HTC Magic has no physical QWERTY keyboard, preferring instead to employ an on-screen version. And, we think that’s a mighty fine choice, because as much as people grumble about using on-screen keys, we think that it’s the kind of thing you get used to in no time at all. And, in the meantime, you can marvel about how the Magic is not only noticeably thinner (coming in at a modest 13.6mm), but also considerably lighter (just 116g with the battery in there). Aside from that, the Magic is also running the newer, 1.5 version of the Android OS (bizarrely codenamed Cupcake), so all your daily tasks and media fun will be zipping along all the more quickly and smoothly.

But even with all this Google goodness, it can’t be perfect, we hear you tentatively murmuring. And, you would indeed be right. Because although this HTC Official page might suggest everything is just so, we think that’s a little misleading. And why? Well, how about the fact that there’s no jack socket for your 3.5mm headphones. Not a huge deal in some people’s eyes, but is you’re a regular music listener / video watcher then that USB converter is going to be winding you up very quickly indeed. And secondly, 512MB of internal memory: seriously guys?! The i7500 comes with 8GB! What were you thinking… Anyway, that’s pretty much all that’s not so great, so if you’re Android-obsessed and you need you fix now (the i7500′s not out til August) then the Magic is the one for you. Check out this HTC Magic Review for a full rundown of all it’s got to offer.

HTC Snap. Average, slim handset wltm average, slim owner

Martin — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:22:03 +0000

On paper there’s little to set the HTC Snap apart from its direct competitors (Blackberries and The Nokia E71 for example). Take a look at these specs:

528Mhz Qualcomm processor
WinMo 6.1
2.4″ TFT LCD non-touch-screen
3G network support
Trackball (instead of the D-Pad of previous versions)
1500mAh Li-Ion battery
2MP digital camera with video recording

And we reckon you didn’t go ‘ooohhh,’ or ‘you don’t say!’ once. Unless those 2megapixels really took you by surprise. But, you know what, we think the HTC Snap is kind of alright. It’s not flash, but it is functional. It’s not stunningly gorgeous, but it is surprisingly light (only 120 grams or so) and very slim.

So here we have a phone that’s going to deal with your emails and basic browsing, is going to fit snugly into your pocket, is going to last a hell of a long time on its battery and will take admittedly shoddy pictures or videos if you need to remember a moment. The Snap won’t get you any sultry looks from across of a crowded bar. But then if you’re relying on your phone to do that you should probably reassess your pulling techniques in the first place. Unless you’re at a gaming convention. It’s not going to revolutionary your life by replacing everything you could ever need from a mobile computer and putting it in the palm of your hand. But it’s a solid piece of kit, looks better in real life than in the pictures (and unlike in online dating you can trust us on that one) and if you can find a good cheap deal, the HTC Snap could be just the business phone you need. Read an HTC Snap review here, or listen to this guy waffle on about it at a recent mobile phone conference (sorry for the background noise).

HTC Touch Cruise 09

admin — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:53:18 +0000

If you were looking for a gadget that made your travelling easier, Touch Cruise 09 is it! The kind of ability it provides travelers has to be seen to be believed. The UPS navigation on the Touch Cruise 09 is so unique that you can literally refer to it on a turn by turn basis. Such facility has never been so accessible before, and travelers like me, appreciate it to no end.

But, that is not all, HTC Touch Cruise 09 also comes equipped with a geo-tagging feature, called HTC Footprints, which is absolutely one of the most innovative feature I have come across. HTC Footprints not only allows you to take pictures and then tag your location, it also allows you to add some notes or add a voice memo, if you want. Such awesome features are deeply appreciated by people like me who travel the world and visit various nooks and crannies of interest.

The picture quality offered by take a look at this video is also awesome. It comes with a 2.8” touch sensitive screen with a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels, supporting 65k colors. The HTC is also equipped with 3.2 mega pixel auto focus camera. It’s absolutely thrilling to be able to take such high quality pictures when you are travelling without having to worry about carrying a bulky camera.

One other thing that travelers crave is some sort of entertainment. Sometimes journeys can be boring and tedious, but if you have some entertainment option, it becomes a lot bearable. Even in aspect, this phone delivers what you may have expected. Its entertainment features include music player, polyphonic ring tones and games. And, it also has 256 MB RAM and microSD cards to enable you to store a lot of music and pictures on your phone. Now, if this is not the most perfect phone for travelers, I don’t know what is.

If you are looking for network specific deals, follow the links below:
HTC Touch Cruise 09 on Orange
HTC Touch Cruise 09 on O2
HTC Touch Cruise 09 on T-Mobile
HTC Touch Cruise 09 on Vodafone
HTC Touch Cruise 09 on 3 Mobile
HTC Touch Cruise 09 on Virgin

HTC Touch Diamond 2

admin — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 10:17:25 +0000

Great features that are so very easy to access and all put together in a sleek finish. The HTC Touch Diamond 2 has it all. I am really impressed with the way the navigation is designed for the phone. It uses HTC’s latest TouchFLO 3D interface which fits Windows mobile right in – complete with applications and menus. The navigation is super intuitive, with easy access to email, messaging, calling, people, photos, videos – the works. I save it all – or at least the heavy stuff – on the SD card and I’m never really worried about space. Plus, the HTC Touch Diamond 2 still really is a good looking phone – sleek and sophisticated, and not just the body of it, the entire display is smooth and well designed. The contacts screen uses pictures of people I call all the time. Awesome graphics. And text messages seem almost like they’re flying out of my phone into the greater cellular network, to be received in an instant by another phone miles away. It’s romantic, this phone – or at least the animations are.

I had the older HTC phone and the HTC Touch Diamond 2 is definitely an improvement. The battery life is 50% longer, the camera is now 5.0 megapixels and has auto focus, it has a wider and seemingly clearer screen, better navigation like I said before, and great call and audio quality. The new Opera browser is stellar – possibly one of the best things about the product overview.

Apparently, the touch focus areas have been enlarged. This means that the new mobile broadband deals is easier to use, with less room for error and frustration. It fits perfectly into my palm, and I really like that I can use my phone with just one hand. This means that I can play Texas holdem online and sip coffee at the same time. My life is complete.

For network specific deals, follow the links below:
HTC Touch Diamond 2 on Orange
HTC Touch Diamond 2 on O2
HTC Touch Diamond 2 on T-Mobile
HTC Touch Diamond 2 on Vodafone
HTC Touch Diamond 2 on 3 Mobile
HTC Touch Diamond 2 on Virgin

HTC Touch Pro 2

admin — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:47:03 +0000

I have yet to see a phone as sleek and simple as the HTC Touch Pro 2. It feels really good in my hand – solid and reliable. The Keyboard is a work of art. With just the right amount of space between keys to avoid errors while typing emails, without making the whole thing too bulky. The tilt screen is great. It makes the display easier to read when its on a flat surface.

The interface is well designed. I hear that it’s a new version of the interface on the older HTC phones. It has a great start screen with impressive graphics and integrates Windows Mobile 6.1. The HTC Touch Pro 2 has a touch sensitive toolbar or zoom bar, they call it, which makes it really easy to see web pages and photographs.

The best thing, by far, about the HTC Touch Pro 2 is the conferencing facility – or rather how it is set up, and the great microphone and speaker functions of the phone. The sound is crystal clear – not even a hint of disturbance or muffle, and the dialling system is set up to cue calls based on an appointment time, so yo don’t really have to dial anything yourself. I don’t really use conference calling too much, but I can see how important this would be for businesses that have teams all over the country. A great way to connect for planning or debriefing, or even just checking in to see if things are on track– official overview technology is awesome.

The specs for the HTC , overall, are pretty impressive – 528 Mhz processor, 3.6-inch TFT-LCD touch-sensitive, adjustable, tilt screen with 480 X 800 WVGA resolution, 5-row QWERTY keyboard that slides out, a 3.2 megapixel camera and an additional secondary camera, battery that lasts for a talk time of up to 270 minutes for WCDMA and 419 minutes for GSM, plus standby time, plus an fm radio and G-sensor. All in all, a great phone.

For network specific deals, follow the links below:
HTC Touch Pro 2 on Orange
HTC Touch Pro 2 on O2
HTC Touch Pro 2 on T-Mobile
HTC Touch Pro 2 on Vodafone
HTC Touch Pro 2 on 3 Mobile
HTC Touch Pro 2 on Virgin

A Quick Glance at the HTC Touch Cruise

admin — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 16:56:46 +0000

The brand new HTC Cruise is a great new phone from Samsung which offers a good set of features including a 3.2 mega pixel camera, high speed internet, a media player and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. I’ve also seen a couple of HTC Touch Cruise reviews which seem to suggest that this phone has a lot to offer and is definitely worth the purchase. I have to agree, I think the HTC Touch Cruise is a great phone with high quality features and it’ll probably be very popular with personal users throughout the UK and Europe. Also, the high quality brand name is a great asset for this phone.
I’ve also seen a lot of HTC Touch Cruise pay as you go deals available and most of them are great value for money. I’ve also noticed that as we get closer to Christmas, a lot of mobile phone contract deals are becoming available and you should be able to get a deal on the phone you want quite easily this year. I’ve also seen the HTC Touch Cruise on contract is available for free on most networks which is a great thing to see and I’d highly recommend this phone as it’s reliable and very stylish.
Overall, the HTC Touch Cruise is a great looking phone with a good set of high quality features. I’ve got to say I really like this phone and I think it’ll do really well in terms of sales this year and next. I’ve also seen a HTC Cruise video available online which is definitely worth watching if you’re interested in this phone because it’ll give you a clearer idea of what this phone has to offer and it’ll allow you to see the phone in action before you buy it which is something I always recommend.

The Mobile Phone that has Everything – The HTC Max 4G

admin — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:32:42 +0000

The recently launched HTC Max 4G is an awesome phone which has everything any user could ever need and more. The phone is equipped with a 5 mega pixel camera for taking photos, GPS so you’ll always know where you are and how to get where you need to be, high speed internet for email and browsing and WiMAX which is the latest in WiFi technology. The phone literally has everything. I’ve also seen a lot of Max 4G reviews and it appears as though I’m not the only one who loves this phone and all it has to offer. Most of the reviews I’ve read have been very positive and I think this phone will do very well in terms of sales.
I’ve also noticed that the HTC Max 4G orange phone is the best available at the moment. However, if you want the HTC Max 4G on contract or on PAYG then I’d suggest you shop around to make sure you’re getting the best deal. As we get closer to Christmas it’ll be easier for people to find deals they want and I’m sure you’ll notice a lot more offers on mobile phone contracts in general. I have to say I really like this phone and I can’t see anything wrong with it at all.
Overall, the HTC Max 4G is an amazing phone and I think it’ll be very popular with personal and business users. The phone is equipped with Pocket Office which is very handy for business users. I’ve seen a recent HTC Max 4G video which is definitely worth watching if you’re interested in this phone as it’ll give you a closer look into what the phone really has to offer and it’ll allow you to see the phone in action before you buy it – which is something I’d highly recommend.

The HTC Touch Viva- The Best Personal Phone Available

admin — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 08:39:53 +0000

The brand new HTC Touch Viva is a great new personal phone from HTC which offers user the ability to use high quality features in a touch screen handset which is very stylish. I’ve seen a lot of HTC Touch Viva reviews and they all seem very positive and I have to say that I’m very impressed with this phone. A lot of the reviews were saying how amazing this phone is and that it is bound to sell very well. As it is being released just before Christmas I’m pretty sure it’ll do exceptionally well in terms of sales.
I’ve also seen a lot of HTC Touch Viva deals available which will aid in the sales and I have to say that I’ve seen a lot of mobile phone deals in general as we get nearer to Christmas. I’ve got to say that I’m very impressed with the offers available for the HTC Touch Viva contract phone – you will definitely be able to get yourself a great deal over Christmas and in the New Year during the January sales. I’ve seen a lot of mobile phones this year but nothing quite like the HTC Touch Viva – it’s unbeatable.
Overall, the HTC Touch Viva is a great phone and I think it’ll do very well in sales. It’s probably the best personal phone available and I think if you’re interested in this phone then you should have a look at the HTC Touch Viva video review that I’ve found which appears to be one of the best available. You can have a good look at the phone in action and also be ale to see what this phone has to offer in the way of features. In my opinion, the HTC Touch Viva is a great phone and well worth buying.