This article is more than 1 year old

HTC Touch 3G Windows Mobile smartphone

A very well-connected handset

As you might expect with a handset that calls itself 3G, the HSDPA connection is as good as any you'll find, offering up to 7.2Mb/s downloads if your network supports it, though you won't get that speed in the real world. It also has quad-band GSM connectivity, which means you can use it in most countries around the world, including the US, plus there's 2.5G GPRS and Edge if you're not in a 3G area. Add to that 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and stereo-capable Bluetooth, and you've got one very well connected handset.

HTC Touch 3G

Who chooses these colours?

Web browsing is generally fine with the pre-loaded Opera browser rather than the slower Internet Explorer, though that's also available if you prefer. You can move around pages easily by brushing your finger in any direction on the touchscreen and the browser's zoom icon brings up a good-sized scroll bar that allows you to set pages to the size you like.

The menu offers favourites, bookmarks, page history, last page and home as well as several page resolution settings. It's all easily accessible with the thumb but the screen's small size means you'll probably find yourself reaching for the stylus when accessing links on busy pages unless you're on very high zoom.

The 3G has a YouTube application which allows you to search and view the video site with ease, and displays videos in landscape mode. Unfortunately, like the Viva, the 3G doesn't allow you to view standard web pages in landscape mode, which is a nuisance, since it's the best way to view most web pages. It would also offer more space to the on-screen keyboard, which feels distinctly cramped – you can operate it with your thumb, but you'll be more comfortable with the stylus.

There’s a Mobile View setting which crams the pages into a vertical column, but practical as this can be, it breaks up the architecture of the page and makes browsing feel more complicated than it really needs to be.

HTC Touch 3G

The camera runs to 3.2Mp, but it's not a great shooter

The camera offers a very distinct step up from the Viva, with 3.2 million pixels rather, than two million, at its disposal. The extra resolution yields greater clarity and detail, of course, but there's no flash or autofocus, and only a 2x digital zoom. Pictures are OK, but as with all HTC's handsets, the camera is noticeably behind similarly specced models from Sony Ericsson or Nokia - though Apple would probably be proud to have one on the iPhone. Video quality is worse, with a distinctly feeble ability to handle motion without significant blurring.

Next page: Verdict

More about

TIP US OFF

Send us news


Other stories you might like