HTC isn’t renowned for its bargain bucket blowers. But the Google Android–packing HTC Tattoo and now the HTC Touch2, touting Windows Mobile 6.5, are the latest, cheap efforts from the Taiwanese titan. The latter builds on the original, old–school HTC Touch, offering bags of style and skills alongside the Big M’s mobile OS. So is it any good? Read our HTC Touch2 review now and we’ll give you our verdict.
There’s no denying that the HTC Touch2 has got a lot going on under the hood. But while the spec sheet is more respectable than than a royal wedding and it looks as hot as a model party during Fashion Week, does the all new Windows Mobile 6.5 give it the edge over its Android–packing rival?
In a word, no. That’s not to say the HTC Touch2 doesn’t have some very cool flourishes. The zoom bar is ace, making zipping round the net a breezy affair and on the surface, Windows Mobile 6.5 looks lush. The problems start, however, when you begin digging deeper, with menus still too small for finger gestures and the same blocky and awkward UI which caused such grief last time out.
For basic tasks, you’ll find that the HTC Touch2 is great though. That lovely browsing action is supplemented by 3G and Wi–Fi, although the latter took us an age to set up and could be far, far slicker, especially when compared to internal rivals like the HTC Tattoo and the pure simplicity of the iPhone 3GS.
The 3.2MP camera took capable stills when we took it for a spin down at our local, even coping in the dankest, darkest corners of the boozer. And the 2.8–inch screen is a peach for spying video.
However, this all only serves to highlight the glaring flaws which Windows Mobile 6.5 serves up. We’re looking forward to laying our hands on it in a heftier device, but if you want a cheap touchscreen, we say hold out for something rocking Android instead.
