Review of the HTC Touch2 Windows Mobile touchscreen smartphone

HTC Touch2

HTC Touch2

HTC Touch2

HTC Touch2

The HTC Touch2 is a new touchscreen Windows Mobile handset from HTC, but what makes this device special is that it's one of the first devices to run the new Windows Mobile 6.5 software. The Touch2 itself is a small handset with a 2.8" resistive touchscreen, 3.2 megapixel fixed focus camera, and a 3.5mm headphone port. It also features HTC's fantastic TouchFLO UI for improved user-friendliness. Cast an eye over the following few pages as we put the Touch2 through its paces.

Physical Aspects

I keep referring to the HTC Touch2 as a "small device", and compared to many current smartphones, it is. However, next to my hefty N95 8GB it turns out to be larger in all dimensions except thickness, which surprised me, as it feels quite small to hold. So, depending on what you're used to, the Touch2 may, or may not be, a small device. The actual dimensions are 104 X 55 X 12.9 mm (4.1 X 2.16 X 0.51 inches) and it weighs in at a manageable 110g (4oz). Despite the numbers, I barely noticed it in my pocket and it felt light and comfortable in my hand.

The exterior of our Touch2 was clad in a metallic silver finish, although there appears to be a black version and a brown version as well. All variations look pretty classy and include lashings of chrome and brushed metal effects, too. The construction of the Touch2 felt very good, although I noticed some creaks from the chrome bands on the sides of the handset.

Up front you'll find the aforementioned 2.8" resistive touchscreen, which has a QVGA (240 x 320 pixel) resolution and decent sunlight legibility. Despite being small for a touchscreen, the Touch2's display is very responsive and sensitive to the lightest touch, which makes it a joy to use, for the most part. Beneath the display you'll find HTC's zoom bar, that can be used in various applications, such as the web browser and email inbox. Above the display is a black grille that houses the earpiece and a status LED to notify users of missed calls and messages, and also display the charging status.

Toward the bottom of the Touch2's front, you'll find five hardware keys. From left to right, they comprise: a call send key, home key, Windows menu key, back key, and a call end key. Each is backlit with a white glow and has a brushed metal style finish. The rear of the Touch2 is home to the camera lens, speakerphone grille, and a hole for a lanyard to be attached. The rear cover can be removed for access to the battery and SIM card.

On the Touch2's left side is the volume rocker and microSD slot, both clad in a chrome finish. Despite the microSD slot being on the side of the handset, you still need to remove the rear cover to access it, which seems silly. The slot is covered by a solid plastic door, to keep debris out. The right side of the phone is completely bare, save for the stylus silo at the bottom. The stylus itself is not magnetic nor active, but does at least clip in safely to stop it from falling out.

HTC Touch2

HTC Touch2

HTC Touch2

HTC Touch2

The top of the phone features the Touch2's 3.5mm headphone port and a small indentation to help remove the rear cover with a fingernail. The bottom is home to HTC's miniUSB port (for charging and data) and the microphone pinhole.