The first in the next generation of HTC Windows Mobile 6.1 Smartphones, the HTC Touch Diamond, reached the GSM markets during the summer.  Not until mid-September was the device available on the CDMA Sprint Network, but with this wait came a larger battery and a smooth rubberized back cover similar to the HTC Victor (HTC P3702) available in Taiwan.

Another major difference which Sprint users will greatly appreciate is the device shares the same 288MB of RAM as the Sprint HTC Touch Pro.  A bit of controversy has arisen from this mix up since the GSM version of the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro offer 192MB and 288MB of RAM respectively.  The real question is whether this additional RAM will make any significant improvements in performance or will Windows Mobile users still be searching for that perfect device.

Build Quality

The Sprint HTC Touch Diamond shares the smooth flush 2.8-inch screen as the original Touch, but the resolution has been improved from QVGA (320 x 240 pixels) to VGA (640 x 480 pixels) resolution.  This boost in resolution makes a significant improvement in the overall sharpness of text and screen area to work with when browsing the Internet and composing emails.  The camera has also been upgraded from 2.0 megapixels to 3.2 megapixels, but still lacks a flash and instead offers a very efficient autofocus which now allows excellent shots in close proximity.

While we did not have many complaints about the original Sprint Touch, HTC also upgraded to processor from 400MHz to 528MHz which we found was extremely important when running Windows Mobile 6.1 and the TouchFLO 3D interface.  While it might look as if the Sprint Touch Diamond is a big bigger than the original, the device is narrower and the square shape gives it an excellent feel in the hands.
Our favorite improvement in the build of the Touch Diamond over the Touch is the new navigation wheel which operates by clicking and is also touch sensitive.  Sliding your finger around the rim of the wheel performs functions such as zooming on web pages or auto focusing the camera.  The clear gloss finish on the face of the device gives a very professional look and although it is subject to finger smudges and scratches, we love the styling and give HTC two thumbs up in design.

Sprint HTC Touch Diamond Specifications

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Imaging

Going from 2.0 to 3.2 megapixels might not sound like a major improvement, but the addition of autofocus is honestly a game changer for HTC.  For those familiar with the HTC Kaiser (At&t Tilt) you will feel at home using the optics on the Touch Diamond, but a major improvement in the speed and accuracy of the auto focus is immediately noticeable.  During our tests with the camera on the HTC Touch Diamond we found it nearly on par with the 5.0 megapixel camera in T-mobile’s Samsung Behold and in good lighting conditions even better.

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Refer back to our previous coverage in the Smartphone showdown where we took the Samsung Behold, Touch Diamond, Nokia E71 and iPhone 3G here.

OS – Software

At first glance, the TouchFLO 3D interface looks very stylish and even futuristic.  There are some obvious similarities between the BlackBerry OS v4.6 and the TouchFLO 3D interface, but unfortunately we had some issues with performance.  We found sliding our finger across the row of icons to often be laggy and even freeze from time to time resulting in the battery needing to be removed from the device to restart.

Despite the performance issues, the interface is sexy and we love the move away from the traditional Windows Mobile icons.  With the volume of Windows Mobile devices we’ve used in the past few years, any change is welcomed and we still believe TouchFLO 3D has the potential to really revolutionize the entire Windows Mobile landscape.  With some future software tweaks hopefully the performance of TouchFLO 3D can live up to the impressive set of hardware found on the Touch Diamond, but even in its current state it is still much improved over the TouchFLO on the original Sprint Touch.

Comparison

To help get a better idea of how the size of the Sprint HTC Touch Diamond compares with the Nokia E71, and Apple iPhone 3G we put together a photo gallery for visual comparison.  Clearly the Touch Diamond is the thicker devices, but in length and width the device is unmatched by the competitors.  The feel in the hand is solid and the dimensions improve the usability of the device as compared with the original Sprint Touch.

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Final Thoughts

The Sprint Touch Diamond offers significant improvements over the Sprint Touch in processor speed, memory, interface, camera and design.  While we had our fair share of issues using TouchFLO 3D, the interface brings a new look to Windows Mobile and could be exactly what the OS needs to reinvent itself.  While we prefer a physical keyboard as seen as the HTC Touch Pro, moderate text and email use is adequate with the on-screen keyboard, but we could not recommend the device for typing lengthy emails.

The size and build quality make the Sprint Touch Diamond fit the mold of a high-end business device, but stylish enough for the everyday user looking for an alternative to ‘other’ touchscreen phones on the market.  The camera was the best we’ve seen from HTC (Touch Pro and Touch HD excluded) and we enjoyed the speed of the autofocus which made up-close pictures a joy to capture.

We would like to see if HTC can tweak TouchFLO 3D to match the performance we’d expect from a 528MHz device, but despite this shortcoming we enjoyed using the Touch Diamond.  If you can live with moderate text input and are looking for a serious change over the traditional Windows Mobile experience, we highly recommend the Sprint HTC Touch Diamond.

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by Nick Marshall posted on Nov 28, 2008 Tags: htc, htc touch diamond, review, Sprint