HTC Touch Diamond Review

[PSmit]

I'm quite sure the battery only can stand couple of hours when 3.5G enabled.

Indeed. I've got the Diamond for a few weeks now and need to charge it halfway through the day. Thats with minimum calling (15 minutes), no BT of WIFI on and only DirectPush enabled over HSDPA.

I don't mind charging my phone every night, but this is rediculous.

[Ed Hardy]

I've got the Diamond for a few weeks now and need to charge it halfway through the day. Thats with minimum calling (15 minutes), no BT of WIFI on and only DirectPush enabled over HSDPA.

For years, smartphone makers tried to create models that fit the needs of both consumers and business users. The compromises this required never satisfied anyone, and for the most part they have given it up.

The Diamond is a smartphone for consumers, and HTC really didn't try to have it meet the needs of business users. Microsoft's Push email system is a business function. As it requires an almost constant 3G data connection, it's very hard on the battery. If you depend on it, you need something with a big battery.

Consumers would rather have a small, easily pocketable device, like the Diamond, than have a large battery that can support multiple hours of 3G connections.

HTC has announced a device more suited for business users, the Touch Pro, which will have a larger battery.

I can't criticize the Diamond for doing a poor job of something it wasn't designed to do. It would be like criticizing a Porsche Boxster for being bad at hauling around heavy equipment.
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[adamz]

Here's how to bring the Landscape switching options back:

http://pocketnow.com/index.php?a=por...t=news&id=5484

[bbarker]

the Diamond is intended for people who are looking for something better than a regular feature phone, not for hard-core smartphone users. There are several things about this model that long-time Windows Mobile users won't like.

Ed, can you elaborate on what kinds of things we won't like?

[Ed Hardy]

Ed, can you elaborate on what kinds of things we won't like?

The Diamond device lacks a memory card slot (see here), has weak support for landscape mode (see here), and a battery intended for only light use (see here). I talk about all of these point in detail in the review.
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[omn.i]

Excellent review Ed!
I took a read through it (a couple of times )and was very delighted to hear what you had said about it.

At first, I really wanted the SE Xperia, but your review has persuaded me that the Touch Diamond will perhaps be a better fit for me.

I just have a few questions. (I can't surf the web or these forums too much because I'm in India and I will be here for another month, and my wireless here is horrible. So I hope you will be able to answer these questions without having to link me to the pages)

What is the pricing of the Touch Diamond in USD and when will it be available in the US?
I'm planning to switch over to AT&T as soon as my contract with Verizon is over, so is there any word that the Touch Diamond will release under AT&T?
Even though I will be in the US, will there be other limits on the Touch Diamond other than the lack of 3G (which I can do without)?

Thanks again for your review!

[Ed Hardy]

AT this point, the Diamond is expected to officially debut in the U.S. in late summer or early fall.

The first carrier likely to offer it is Sprint. There has been some doubt that AT&T will offer the Diamond at all because it's so similar to the iPhone. This carrier never picked up the original HTC Touch for the same reason.

If you can do without 3G, you can get the Diamond now from grey-market retailers. Without a carrier subsidy it's fairly expensive though, around $700.
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[Analogdog]

For years, smartphone makers tried to create models that fit the needs of both consumers and business users. The compromises this required never satisfied anyone, and for the most part they have given it up.
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Yes, well, for years smartphone makers provided extra batteries for phones that weren't useful on the internet and consumed less power. Now that batteries go quickly, they had the brilliant idea to make it difficult, or impossible, to swap in extra batteries we are no longer provided.