HTC Touch Pro2 Review

HTC used to equip their top range smart phones with wide, side sliding, full QWERTY keyboards that seem to have been largely successful, since the first, fifth generation device with the same form factor, the HTC Touch Pro2, has just been released. Unlike its predecessor, it´s larger rather than smaller and brings the round-shape design back into the game, chucking the edgy form all latest handsets of the same manufacturer stake on. The phone sports a huge 3.6-inch screen, awesome 5 row keyboard, mechanism that lets you tilt the display so you can see things better and a bunch of extra business features to drool over.

A small pouch comes in the box (just a belt case though) along with wall charger, USB cable, headset, spare stylus, screen protector, software CD and manuals.

Design:

If you happen to be into small smart phones, you are definitely reading the wrong review. The HTC Touch Pro2 measures pretty much the same size as the iPhone, the difference being it´s several millimeters thicker and much heftier. Carrying it about in your pocket is far from unnoticeable and we would like to, once again, lash the manufacturer for providing a belt case only. Its large size allows integration of huge screen and that´s exactly what HTC have done – display measures healthy 3.6 inches and comes with a stunning resolution of 480x800 pixels and overall quality that is pretty much the same as the one its junior sibling delivers, i.e. screen is extremely sensitive, so even the slightest flicks get registered and this is great. While image quality is stunning indoors, display is instantaneously rendered unusable once you´ve taken the phone outdoors. There are other elements here that we know well from the Touch Diamond2 – the band that controls the zoom level is at the bottom, along with four keys – send and end, Windows and “back” buttons. Video call camera is right above the screen with two LED indicators elegantly located on either side of the earpiece.




You can compare the HTC Touch Pro2 with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.

One of the key features of the new business phone is its loudspeaker. Turn it face down and you will see the enormous grid-guard and a button to mute the microphone. Once you´ve removed the back cover though, you will face reality – the loudspeaker is actually fairly standard in size and the huge grid is just an ornamental grating that is all about fancy design.



The only issue we seem to have is the side buttons – the volume rocker on its left hand side and the power button on the opposite are almost flush with the surface and don´t provide enough travel. Still, they are comfy enough when you get used to them.


The HTC Touch Pro2 delivers an excellent keyboard, but its successor certainly cuts it out of all feathers. Keys are huge thanks to its large size of the device and there is enough space among them. They are aligned in 5 rows in a checkerboard style and all alt symbols are arranged as if on a standard computer keyboard, so they are easy to find and use. The greenish-white backlighting makes them easily discernible plus it looks pretty cool.

While open, display can be set at an angle against the keyboard which makes for a laptop-like experience. Actually, we have already seen something similar with the TyTN II (Tilt) and we can´t be happier to see it in real life once again.