After having used my Iphone 3G for nearly half a year, I decided it was time to step up and purchase a new mobile gadget to get my hands wet. This time I had set my mind to getting a Windows Mobile Phone.
Since I live in a pretty small third world country, my choices are pretty slim when it concerns high end electronic equipment. Many of the shops I passed through did not have any smart phones in stock, let alone High End Windows Mobile Phones. Eventually I ran across a shop which had the HTC Touch Pro available for an absurd amount of money (approximately 750USD). So I started thinking about purchasing the phone online and having it fed-exed here, but that would mean I’d have to wait a few more days until I get it.
So I went home and started browsing, looking at all the models available when Andressa called me up and told me they were expecting a new shipment of mobile phones at the shop she works at (including the HTC Touch Diamond 2). So that’s the story of how I got my HTC Touch Diamond 2 T5353 for less than 500 USD.
Now let’s talk about the phone itself.
Unpacking the HTC Touch Diamond 2
The package this phone comes in is nothing special, I remember being amazed by the package my first Motorola Razor came in. But this is just an ordinary carton box with a picture of the device on it.
What’s in the box?
- Mobile phone HTC Touch Diamond 2 T5353
- Battery
- USB Cable
- Wall Power Connector
- Phone Case
- Driver CD
- Software CD
- Manual
The first time
After I put in the battery and juiced it up a bit, I turned on the phone. I was surprised to see that it actually booted pretty quickly, a lot faster than my (rest his soul) TYTN. The Windows 6.1 splash screen showed and it immediately started the getting started wizard, which ran me through a series of questions to set up my phone. The quality of the display is very good, and the touch screen is fairly responsive (nothing like my I phone though).
Installing on the PC
After having connected the phone to my Windows 7 PC, the operating system immediately searches for and installs the correct drivers and applications to manage my new smart phone. After about 5 minutes, the installation was complete; Windows had installed the Windows Mobile Device Centre and had placed an Icon for my phone within my computer. The software interface is fairly easy and its compatibility with Microsoft Office products is a huge + on my list.
Upgrading to Windows Mobile 6.5
I had read about a Windows Mobile 6.5 update which had been made available for the HTC Touch Diamond 2 and the HTC Touch Pro a little while ago, so I decided to give it a shot. I went to the HTC website, where I needed to fill in my serial number, but sad to say I got a short response telling me that the update was not available for my phone.
I then sent a mail to HTC support requesting them to help me obtain the correct update for my phone. Within 24 hours someone had responded to my request, asking for some additional information concerning me and my newest acquisition. After the weekend had passed, I had my new HTC phone running on Windows Mobile 6.5 (HTC provides great support).
What do I think of it?
- The phone has a high quality look and feel
- The software is less user-friendly than what I have on my I phone
- Applications run very slow
- Battery life is very short
- Great quality camera, missing a flash unit though
- Why can’t they put in a universal USB connection?
- Upgrading to Windows 6.5 was easy thanks to HTC Support
This is clearly a phone for someone who likes gadgets, but doesn’t want to be seen as a nerd. The stylish look and great functionality of the phone make it a regular must-have gadget!
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