HTC Touch; A preliminary preview

2007-06-28T01:04:00.000-07:00

I finally got to see the new all-hyped-up HTC Touch with Touchflo^TM technology. It is also the first model to be launched in the South-East Asia region under the brand name of HTC since Dopod's 'takeover' by HTC. Yes ladies and gentlemen, NO MORE DOPOD! XD But for all current Dopod users, no worries as it has been reported that HTC will still provide service for all Dopod models purchased PRIOR to the takeover.

Anyhoo, to the main topic of the day.

Dimension

The first thing that anyone will notice about the Touch is that it is FREAKING SMALL AND THIN. It's incredible! We've all heard about people shying away from PDA phones because they're too big, bulky, heavy etc etc... Well peeps, THE SAVIOUR IS HERE! This will fit easily into your breast pocket without giving you a boob (for guys) or enlarging your boob (for ladies). No problemo!

Screen

Despite its size, it still sports a 2.8" screen which is the same size as the O2 Mini's screen which is GOOD as prior to this, any device smaller than the O2 Mini has been fitted with either a 2.7" (O2 Atom/HP 6828) or a 2.4" (O2 Stealth). And we DIG big screens! So this is definitely a plus point for the Touch. However, the colours supported on the Touch is only 65K as opposed to the O2 Atom's / HP 6828's 262K which means that pictures displayed will appear less bright. This is not to be confused with clarity as they are exactly the same as their resolutions are the same.

Touchflo^TM

This the main highlight of the HTC Touch. The Touchflo screen is supposedly HTC's answer to the new upcoming Apple iPhone. It provides ease in application navigation as with a swipe of a finger, you can 'rotate' between your contacts, a list of your most frequently used applications and your multimedia files. It performed the task of switching between 'faces' seamlessly. However, I noticed that you do need to apply more pressure before the screen responded as compared to previous models by HTC (under DOPOD).

While I was quite impressed with the Touchflo implementation, I was disappointed that other than that, nothing has been done to enhance stylus-less usage. For example, the 'X' button which is horribly small is still difficult to press without a stylus. Furthermore, the Touch does not come with a hardware button for the 'X' function. I believe those who have used a WM PDA before will know what I'm talking about.

Next is the text input. You still have to use the stylus to write or tap on the virtual keyboard. To use your fingers, your best bet would be third party software such as Tengo Thumb or SPB Fullscreen Keyboard. Therefore, single-handed text input is still not practical.

Speaker

The speaker is definitely louder than the O2 Mini's speaker which is devilishly soft but it is still softer than the Dopod 838 pro's (which is devilishly loud). Listening to music on the external speakers is total nonsense as not only is it mono, the bass is also non-existent. My advice is to only use the speakers for ringtones and alarms, both of which it will perform reasonably well.

Camera

The Touch sports a 2.0 megapixel CMOS sensor fixed-focus camera. I feel that it falls short of its predecessor; the Dopod 818 pro as well as other models such as the Dopod 838 pro and the O2 Zinc which carry similar camera modules. The saving time for each photo taken is about 3 sec. Do take note that it does not have flash so you won't be able to take photos in the dark.
These are some sample photos that I've taken:

Sample 1
Sample 2

Memory

The on-board memory provided is a measly 128Mb ROM and 64Mb RAM. Devastatingly disappointing. Even some of the models prior to the Touch have been sporting up to 8Gb (Dopod u1000) for the high-end models while some other contemporary models such as the O2 Atom Exec and the O2 Stealth have been geared up with 256Mb of ROM memory since their release about last year. The ROM memory is the one that matters as here is where all your application data and files will be saved.

The Touch also comes with a Micro-SD slot which allows up to a 2Gb expansion for music, videos, programs and files.

Performance

The Touch is running on a Texas Instruments OMAP 850 processor (dual core) which clocks at 200MHz. This is the same processor which was used on the Dopod 818 pro, Dopod 838, Dopod P100 and the Dopod C800 among other models. Although it is said to be more efficient in terms of power consumption, it lacks on processing power especially during multitasking.

It DID feel a little laggy when switching between applications. However, I did not experience any problems with music and video playback. This may be due to the fact that TI OMAP processors perform well in the multimedia department. So for those who plan to do heavy processing work, this may not be the best device for you.

Connectivity

The Touch is a tri-band 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz with EDGE. No 3G/3.5G though which is a little disappointing. Other than that, it comes equiped with bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP and wireless LAN 802.11b/g. No Infra-red but who uses infra-red nowadays. One thing to note, there are a few functions NOT available on the Touch's bluetooth; one of which is the 'File Transfer' function which I desperately need. This may be due to using the Microsoft Bluetooth Stack instead of the Broadcomm one. Based on past experiences, users may also hear a slight hissing background noise when using wireless stereo headsets via A2DP.

Phone calls are loud and clear. No problems there.

Conclusion

To me, the inclusion of Touchflo^TM in the HTC Touch, though innovative and eye-pleasing, it nothing more than a vamped up task manager. Third party software such as SPB Mobile Shell or Wisbar Advance can easily achieve something to a similar effect albeit without all the flash bang.

However, the addition of a new music player which is more 'finger-friendly' as compared to the traditional Windows Media Player is highly welcomed! Now we can sort our music through albums, artists etc etc ala Ipod which is GOOD! XD

In terms of performance, this device is definitely NOT a high performance device. The low power processor and the absence of 3G will definitely put a business user at a disadvantage. Due to the higher need for fast text input and a wider range of wireless capabilities, I would suggest would-be heavy users to either go for the Dopod 838 pro, the O2 Zinc or wait for the HTC Kaiser (launch date unknown). For those who place no importance on keyboards, you may also want to have a look at the O2 Flame.

In my opinion, this device is more suitable for someone who is looking for a device rich with multimedia-centric functions, enhanced PIM (Personal Information Management) functions and some third party softwares such as dictionaries or calculators to get them through their day; nothing with too much text input. As it comes with a very-VERY attractive price tag of RM2099, I believe that this would be a hit among students and budding businessmen.

Anyone has any other questions, please drop me a comment. I'll try to accommodate you as best I can. Thanks for reading.

machinemojo

HTC Touch; A preliminary preview