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HTC Touch Cell Phone Review - Tour & Design

Alfredo Padilla Published on November 07, 2007 Comment on this

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Intro Making/Receiving Calls Software Other Features

Tour & Design Messaging Battery Life Value & Comparisons

Audio Quality Organizer Connectivity Conclusion

Imaging Multimedia Hardware Ratings & Specs

Front
From the front the Touch is dominated by a 2.8 QVGA touch screen. As the device's name indicated, the touch screen is supposed to be the primary form of interaction with the device, thus there are a limited number of buttons. In contrast to the HTC Mogul, which has a plethora of buttons to control the interface, the Touch only has a simple D-Pad flanked by send and end buttons sitting below the screen. Above the screen is the speaker for the phone with a small LED light built in.

Left
On the left side of the HTC Touch is a slider switch near the top to control volume. Near the bottom you see a lanyard loop.

Top
The top of the HTC Touch houses the power/standby button on the right, and on the left you can see the top of the stylus.

Bottom
The bottom of the Touch houses a Mini USB port for data and power connections. You also see the lanyard loop again on the left, as well as a small pinhole for the microphone and another that resets the device when you insert the tip of the stylus into it.

Right
The right side of the Touch houses a button near the bottom that launches voice control. Near the top of the left side you again see the top of the stylus.

Back
The back of the Touch has some logos, the housing for the 2-megapixel camera, and a loud speaker.

Battery Out
The back of the touch comes off in its entirety, just like the HTC Mogul or the AT&T Tilt. When you remove the back you reveal an 1100 mAh battery. Since Sprint's version of the Touch is a CDMA handset, there's no slot for a SIM card. What is curious is the placement of the Micro SD card slot. To get at it you first need to remove the back and then pry open a long panel that runs along the right side of the phone. This seems ridiculously annoying, and reminds us of the similar mess we had to deal with to get at the Centro's Micro SD slot. Look for more on that in the hardware section.

In the Box (7.5)
The Touch ships with a CD that includes Microsoft's ActiveSync synchronizations software and a trial version of Outlook 2007. There is also a wall charger, USB cable, stereo headset and 512 MB MicroSD card. For some reason the Touch also ships with two separate splitters for your Mini USB port, an extra stylus, screen protector, and a small pouch for the phone. All in all a very complete set of accessories.

Handling (8.0)
The Touch is a small and thin device that fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. At only four ounces it won't be difficult to hold up to your ear for long phone calls, and its rounded edges and soft touch finish on the back makes it easy to grip. The only issue is that it may be a little wide for some.

Portability (8.5)
The Touch measures 3.98 x 2.34 x 0.54 inches. This is about as wide as an iPhone and slightly thicker, but also much shorter. Although it's not as thin as a Razr, it should fit comfortably into most pants pockets or bags, and it's light weight means it won't weigh you down.

Aesthetics (6.5)
The Touch is styled primarily in black with a silver stripe running along the side of the device. Professional good looks might be the best way to describe the Touch, but those looking for a flashy handset might want to look elsewhere.

Durability (7.0)
The Touch feels like a fairly solid device, although we did detect some creaks we believe are primarily caused by the back piece that comes off to reveal the battery. There are no moving parts to worry about, but we are concerned about the large touch screen. We recommend you slap a screen protector on that as soon as you can. Overall, the Touch is up to HTC's usually good standards for durability, and it should deal well with everyday use.

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