HTC Touch Cell Phone Review - Conclusion
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Alfredo Padilla Published on November 07, 2007 Comment on this |
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Who's It For
Business User
Business users generally look at a smart phone as an e-mail device first and foremost, and if this is the case the Touch just isn't for you. The on-screen text entry options just aren't up to snuff. You'd be far better off with a BlackBerry device, despite the fact that Windows Mobile Professional is a solid business platform.
Budget Callers
At $249.99 with a two-year contract and twice as much without, the Touch isn't in the conversation for anyone looking for a budget phone, even a budget smart phone.
Chatty Teenager
The Touch is cool, and this is definitely a consideration for many teenagers. However, many teenagers are also addicted to text messaging, and if this is the case you will quickly find the Touch's text entry options frustrating. The price point is also probably a little steep for Mom and/or Dad. We don't think the Touch is a good pick for the chatty teenager.
Media Maven
Throw a big enough memory card in the Touch and it can be a very solid media device. Windows Media Player Mobile provides solid video and music playback options, although we are annoyed that you have to use Sprint's music software to purchase and listen to music from its store. The Touch's camera isn't too impressive, but HTC's new album software makes it really fun to view and manipulate photos. The other bonus is that consuming media on the Touch requires little text entry, meaning its greatest Achilles heel becomes less important. Our major concern is the poor battery life, so if you're a big consumer of media you'll probably want to invest in a second battery and a travel charger.
Conclusion
The Touch is HTC's attempt to improve the user experience of Windows Mobile Professional devices by adding a layer that makes it much easier to interact with the touch screen. The TouchFLO technology used by HTC adds enhancements to the home screen, several applications, and a touch-friendly version of album software. TouchFLO works well in some instances, for example in contacts and with the new album software, but we found it was difficult to use in many cases, especially when entering text or scrolling. The iPhone is an obvious comparison for the Touch's interface, and we have to say this point it's just not up to the standard the iPhone sets for touch screen devices.
Under the hood is Windows Mobile Professional, which does its usual solid job albeit with a steeper learning curve than other smart phones like the BlackBerry Curve. Still, if you're a business user you'll find almost everything you need to organize your life and stay in touch on board. The biggest issue is going to come when you start trying to enter text. HTC has attempted to improve things by adding both a keyboard and keypad that are meant to be easier to use with a finger than the standard Windows Mobile Professional input options. Although they are easier, that doesn't meant they're good. Anyone who sends a lot of e-mail or text messages will quickly be frustrated by the on-screen keyboard. The Touch also has several other shortcomings, including a relatively poor camera and terrible battery life.
All this being said, we do have to applaud HTC for making the effort to improve the Windows Mobile experience via its TouchFLO interface. It got it right in some instances, and we fully expect it will continue to improve the software. Unfortunately, with the Touch they've forced users to use the screen for almost everything, and TouchFLO just isn't able to handle that effectively yet. This is likely why the second generation of the Touch has a physical keypad/keyboard, which Sprint's version lacks. At this point we find ourselves straining to think of who might be able to use the Touch on a daily basis without being annoyed by its shortcomings.
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