HTC Pure Review

With Verizon Wireless parading the HTC Imagio as one of the premier Windows Mobile 6.5 smartphones, the HTC Pure has geared up to claim the same stake over on AT&T. The HTC Diamond2 set the stage for all these devices – and the HTC Pure looks to retain some of the appeal that the original set forth. We’ll take a closer look to see if the HTC Pure has the stuff it takes to really stand out among the variants out there.

Unlike the HTC Imagio with its stretched out looks and larger display, the HTC Pure doesn’t deviate much from the overall footprint of the original GSM version – it’s comfortable in the hand and slips unnoticeably into any pocket. It’s predominantly covered in this glossy plastic material that attracts plenty of unwanted smudges – there’s even some glitter speckles to give it a shiny look. Everything else is almost the same – the 3.2” LCD display that has a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels with support for 62k colors, layout of the hardware buttons on the front, touch sensitive zoom pad, and weight. Personally, we find the styling a bit boring and it doesn’t strike us as something appealing.



Even though it may be synonymous with the Diamond series, it doesn’t retain any hints of its former self in the HTC Pure. Gone now is the single diamond facet we saw on the rear of the original with just a plastic back cover and small metallic strip bearing the HTC logo with the 5-megapixel camera. Again we are faced with the same dilemma with its boring appearance – we feel as though it falters in attempting to captivate would be owners. Sure it may have a more offbeat look than the Imagio, but then again, it’ll ultimately come down to personal preference – go with the Pure if you prefer something compact and less inconspicuous.

Now that Windows Mobile 6.5 has been out of the bag for some time, we see that the Pure is running the same exact interface that’s found on the HTC Tilt 2. The Pure doesn’t get the same treatment that the Imagio received with the Sense UI. Aside from the AT&T theme on the home screen, you get HTC’s wonder looking TouchFLO 3D interface that conveniently places information and apps all through the home screen. Navigating through the phone can be accomplished by a variety of methods which also includes the new Start Menu layout. There’s an occasional slowdown when you run certain applications, but doesn’t deter from the overall capable experience of navigating on the phone.

Although we would’ve liked to see a larger display, typing with the on-screen QWERTY keyboards proved to be a bit frustrating. The lack of space and small confines makes speed typing come down to a halt – you’d probably be better off using the stylus with the portrait QWERTY. As for the landscape one, it does add slightly more room for your fingers – but it’s still too cramped to type quickly without any mistakes.

You’ll get your choice of either using Opera Mobile or Internet Explorer for your web browser – the latter does offer some flash support to an extent. Still we noticed Opera Mobile loading up sites faster and rearranges everything in a manner to best suit the screen. Sure it’s nothing mind-blowing, but the experience we get out of using Opera Mobile on a Windows Mobile handset is considered to be normal at this point.
 
AT&T did miss out on getting some kind of variant of the original HTC Diamond, but we consider the HTC Pure as a decent offering for AT&T’s smartphone lineup. If you’re in the market for a Windows Mobile handset, we’d recommend the HTC Imagio as a better option – especially for those who would enjoy a bigger screen. We’d even go out on a limb and say that the HTC Tilt 2 is a far better option for AT&T business customers with its larger screen and physical keyboard. On the other hand, the Pure is best suited for users who don’t mind the smaller 3.2” display and less obtrusive look in the pockets when carrying it around. Alas, the HTC Pure doesn’t come out of the gates trying to stand out among the crop – it just stays pure and doesn’t come up with anything out of the ordinary in terms of functionality.

HTC Pure Video Review