The 512MB of on-board memory is twice as big as the original Diamond's but still won't support much of a library. Fortunately, there's a microSD slot under the cover which can handle cards of up to 16GB in capacity, though HTC doesn't include one to get you started.
Stacks of features - and compact too
Other extras include GPS supported by Google Maps - Streetview looks great on the Diamond 2's screen - and Office Mobile for creating and reading Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents. This being a Windows Mobile device there are, of course, lots of additional third-party apps available, including games which make use of the phone's accelerometer, so you can control them by twisting the handset.
The battery has been improved since last time too – it's physically bigger than the one in the HTC Touch Diamond and though the phone's specs only promise an extra ten minutes of talk time, in use we found that it lasted a good day or so longer than the first Diamond did – around three days of moderate use rather than two. Call quality remained decent too.
Verdict
The Touch Diamond 2 is the best all-rounder in the HTC canon so far. The screen is gorgeous, the browser excellent, connectivity is as good as it gets and the 5Mp camera is better than any we've yet seen from HTC. It has all the versatility options of Windows Mobile - plus the option to upgrade to version 6.5 later this year - without the disadvantages, since the TouchFlo 3D UI means you rarely need to look at the OS directly.
In short, it's a great little do-it-all handset and the best alternative to the iPhone currently available. ®
More Touchphone Reviews...
iPhoney Nano |
Nokia 5800 XpressMusic |
HTC Touch HD |
LG Cookie |
HTC Touch Diamond 2
COMMENTS
Techy testing?
One test worth doing - how long does it take to set up and authenticate to a WPA-protected wifi network from the 'home' screen. If there's one thing that makes me want to jump up and down in hobnail boots on every WM phone I've ever seen, it's that.
Does look very nice though.
Jon
nearly ok
apart from the huge lack of a 3.5mm, and the fact its touch screen i might actually buy it. It looks nice
another review to make us buy more bad tech
I own a HTC Touch HD which I've had for 5 months, which uses the same camera hardware and controls.
REGHARDWARE it's useless! It's like having Fast Speedboat with a hole in it. You can talk about the Specs in the pub all night - you just can't use it!
REGHARDWARE - please give us REAL: reviews:
1# Camera in normal use. i.e. people#not statues or Portraits# your 3 seconds behind the moment you want - yes that includes slow people walking.
2# Use this camera indoors#in the day) a joke!
3) Poor Auto White balance - quite often wrong. OK if set manually
4) If you want to take pictures outside in FULL daylight of Landscapes, Statues of Frozen the ground people - this camera is for you.
5) 5MB picture that's a lot of data for a uP with a crippled driver, save a few on your memory card then try and change to internal memory. 2 - min wait. Maybe you have to reset.
Yes, I have had support from HTC and they can do nothing. Have I done a hard reset - Yes.
This phone will be better than the HTC HD cause it has a real keyboard.
My 3 year old Windows Mobile 6.1 Samsung i600#Blackjack) was a much better phone than the HD for email, txt and calls.
Speedy
Shame About The Camera
I have a Touch HD and it sounds like this has the same problem with the camera: The quality is really good but the camera is virtually useless because of the time it takes to take a picture, a real shame :(
windows mobile
why the fsck does this phone get a good review? it's running windows mobile!!!! windows smegging mobile is DESTROYING MY LIFE. It "reminds" me of apparently nothing at all at random times during the night, the alarm clock which sometimes work was written by that chimpanzee that throws rocks at passers by, it runs a good 6 hours on battery power, its got a START MENU for fucks sake!!!
/angry
