From the outset, the HD2 is a tragic creature, built from the finest pieces imaginable and burdened with a categorically disappointing OS. HTC has done their best to hide the HD2′s shame, but it’s just not enough.
HTC’s got a funny way of designing hardware, where they settle on a basic set of components then pump out virtually every iteration of this basic spec set they possibly can. (See also: HTC as Taco Bell.) It’s a rare occasion then, that we get something like the Touch HD2, a followup to the similarly impressive Touch HD.
Top to bottom, corner to corner — and it’s a long trip — the HD2 is a perfect specimen of glass, plastic and aluminium. The massive screen-to-bezel ratio means the HD2 is essentially just a 4.3-inch piece of glass, its 800×480 multitouch display bordered by just a few millimetres of ink-black trim and a subtle row of satisfyingly pressable little buttons. The handset’s minimalist hind-side, interrupted only by a slightly protruding lens for the HD2′s 5-megapixel camera and an ever-so-slightly grained aluminium battery door, is elegantly tapered, emphasising just how thin this thing is.
It’s got the same space-warping powers as a supermodel; it looks like a beautiful phone in pictures, but when you finally see it in person, it’s twice as tall as you thought it would be and far too thin for its expanded proportions. It’s almost not fair to other phones. And it will give them body image issues.
Behind this spectacularly huge screen is a 1GHz Snapdragon processor assisted by 448MB of RAM — specs that would have put a top-line desktop to shame less than 10 years ago — and 512MB of ROM, aided by expandable microSD storage. The whole battery of expected high-end smartphone amenities are here, from GPS to a facial proximity sensor to an internal compass to Bluetooth 2.1. There’s a 3.5mm headphone jack and charging comes by way of Micro USB through to an adequate 1230mAh battery (it’ll get you through the workday, which is par for the course nowadays). Unless you absolutely need to have a hardware keyboard, there is nothing — nothing — the HD2 leaves you wanting for.
One of the benefits of Windows Mobile not having changed much in the last few years is that it’s easy to compare new hardware to old. And let’s be clear about the HD2: It’s unbelievably fast. Applications open almost instantly and close without the slightest hesitation, and over Wi-Fi, web pages render in Opera Mobile as if you’re browsing on a laptop, not a mobile phone. (And hell, if you put your face close enough to this ridiculous screen, it’s easy to forget you’re not.)
This is one of the first Windows Mobile phones to have HTC Sense, which combines bits and pieces of their overhauled Android interface and kneads them together with years of TouchFLO 3D development. Practically, this means that using the HD2 is just like using any other HTC Windows phone from the last three years — a tabbed slider at the bottom of the screen moves you from homescreen panel to homescreen panel, where HTC has condensed almost all the information you look to your phone for. It’s faster and more complete that you’ve seen before, with added colour, a Twitter client and visual browser bookmarks. But it’s essentially the same HTC dashboard, just gussied up a little bit. And to the extent that such a thing can work, it works.
HTC’s software ethos has always been to hide the unseemly parts of Windows Mobile. And it’s got plenty! But with the HD2, they’ve taken this philosophy all the way to its logical conclusion: They’ve tried to replace Windows Mobile’s UI entirely. The HD2 is HTC: Reductio ad Absurdum Edition.
And don’t get me wrong, this whole Sense thing is surprisingly usable — it’s a fairly rare occasion that you fall out of HTC’s safe, smooth, grey-and-black arms, and into the Windows 3.1-esque hell that has been, and somehow still is, a Windows Mobile hallmark. Sense HTC has made a sort of meta OS which uses Windows Mobile 6.5 as a behind-the-scenes stage hand, only showing its face when it absolutely needs to. HTC has even added multitouch to the browser, maps and photo applications, which works surprisingly well for what almost certainly qualifies as an after-the-fact hack.
In fact, that could describe the whole Sense experience. It’s good considering what it is. It’s just that that’s a huge qualification. As pretty as HTC’s replacement apps are, they’re not the same as having good core apps in the first place. Want to add music to HTC’s fancy new media player? You’ve got to find Windows Mobile’s old media player, add a directory and switch back. Want some new apps? Trundle on over to Windows Mobile’s sorely lacking app Marketplace. Press Start, and you’ll be greeted with Windows’ unsortable mess of a Start Menu. Need to modify a setting that HTC didn’t deem important enough to put in their own control panel? Good luck. And god forbid you don’t like Sense and want to stick with vanilla 6.5 because you basically can’t: It’s not quite ready for stylus-free use, and the HD2′s screen doesn’t come with — or support—those forsaken almost-pens of yore. As much good work as HTC has done here, it’s an uneven experience.
Every time you notice the absurd lengths to which HTC has gone to deny this phone is running Windows — they’ve even replaced the calendar and text messaging apps, for god’s sake — you find yourself asking the same question: Why even bother?
It’s a question for consumers as much as it is for HTC. For HTC, why spend so much time and effort desperately — and only marginally effectively — hiding an OS when you know you can just replace it entirely? I understand they’ve got a legacy with Windows Mobile, but right now that legacy is starting to seem toxic. And for anyone thinking about buying this thing, why not wait a little while? We’ve seen how fantastic this hardware combo is, so why not wait until someone loads it up with software that HTC doesn’t have to hide away like some kind of dark secret? Sony’s about to outspec the HD2 with the Android-powered Xperia X10 anyway, and HTC would have to be stupid not to be working on the same right now.
If you’ve got some undying loyalty to Windows Mobile, be it personal or work-enforced, life won’t get any better than with the HD2 — it’s shipping on multiple carriers in the US sometime in early 2010, though I don’t suspect it’ll be cheap. If you don’t, then just wait this one out. Trust me: The payoff will be worth it. [HTC]
The 4.3-inch glass display is pure bliss.
Actually, no, this whole handset is bliss. If they were sitting right here, right now, I would kiss the hardware designers on the mouth. With tongue.
Battery life isn’t as atrocious as you’d expect it to be.
HTC Sense does extensive damage control on Windows Mobile, making this the best WinMo experience out there right now.
Not to beat a dead horse, but it’s still Windows Mobile.
klaw81
November 11, 2009 at 3:22 PM
John, being quite familiar with WM and the Leo interface, I have to say your evaluation of some items is incorrect and/or misleading.
Firstly, even Microsoft doesn’t expect many people to use the Marketplace…the selection there is poor, and it’s much easier to simply use Google or one of the well-established 3rd-party application websites.
The WM6.5 Start menu, far from being an “unsortable mess,” is completely customisable, from inclusion and location of icons to background wallpaper. Drag & drop, or copy & paste, works perfectly. The only difference is the hexagonal layout, rather than the conventional rectangular format.
Browsing music on Sense’s music player is as simple as pressing the Library button – I find this automatically finds all songs in either phone memory or removable storage. I have no idea why you need to go to Media Player to find it.
You correctly stated that HTC’s Settings tab on Sense allows you to control all but the most obscure settings. However, viewing the most obscure settings is no big deal – the WM6.5 control panel is very similar to that found in Windows Vista and almost everyone will find it familiar to navigate. My mum can do it – why can’t you?
I have no problems navigating “vanilla” WM6.5 on a resistive touchscreen almost half the size of the HD2, without a stylus. I can’t imagnie why anyone would have trouble being stylus-free on a capacitive screen that massive.
Finally, you almost criticise HTC for covering up WM – why is that a bad thing? There are a lot of manufacturers using WM, and HTC differentiate their WM devices by providing an alternative interface. Instead of being impressed byHTC efforts to create an attractive and touch-friendly “skin,” you assert they’re ashamed of their OS of choice.
This device is not a tradgedy, it’s a triumph.
Report PermalinkTrent Gibson
November 26, 2009 at 10:46 AM
Well said.
Report PermalinkGrant Muir
November 11, 2009 at 7:38 PM
What do you expect from an Apple fanboy site?
Through their apple shaped glasses, everything that doesn’t have Steve Jobs approval just isn’t good enough, regardless of actual performance or functionality.
I’m almost at the point where I’ve stopped reading the slanted, one-eyed, amateurish fanboy love-ins/hatefests, and decamped for somewhere which at least pretends to be impartial.
Report PermalinkJos Dewey
December 21, 2009 at 5:33 PM
This is a crap review. You have no idea how to use technology that wasn’t made for kids and therefore can’t handle Windows Mobile.
If you knew anything you’d know HTC have even altered the plain old Windows Mobile screens. They’ve added pinch to zoom, they’ve added scrollbars which expand when you tap on them and they’ve added this awesomely huge screen that makes the point that Windows Mobile was intended as a stylus-based OS a very moot point.
Go back to using an iPhone. Don’t you just love how the home screen simplifies your life by showing you nothing but icons?
Report PermalinkSiK PuPpy
December 29, 2009 at 4:42 PM
Seriously man. Get a grip. I’m no Windows vs Mac freak since I have and still use both OS on my home computers and phones but I have to say that your review is absolute BOLLOCKS!!!
My iPhone UI looks outdated compared to the HTC Leo. I still love my iPhone but will certainly be giving this HTC a crack at some stage. Looks sexy and alot more refined.
Report Permalinkbassjace
December 31, 2009 at 9:19 PM
I have read my last gizmodo review. John Herman, you are a munster! I just can’t stand your input/output!
Report PermalinkWazaaaap
February 2, 2010 at 10:33 AM
At least the HTC ships with cut copy and paste…not an added featurepack in v3 of the OS !!!!!!
Report PermalinkPeter S.
February 16, 2010 at 12:12 AM
I must say this is a very poor review. I have played around with the HD2 and it is the best WinMo phone out at the moment. The interface is so smooth and responsive. HTC have done a brilliant job and it’s your harsh comments are completely unjustified.
Report PermalinkRudi
February 22, 2010 at 2:46 AM
After buying this with software that would hang on CommManager I sent it back. The replacement had bad pixel and also unacceptable on wifi capability. Upset my access point, that my other hardware does not. Very disappointed with the performance – but looked and feeled cool – except for the dead pixel.
Report PermalinkHope someone brings out a smart phone without problems.
Craig
March 27, 2010 at 5:41 PM
First and last review I will read from this site when deciding on my next device.
I should have known the author was an Apple devotee.
Report PermalinkAllen
April 20, 2010 at 8:15 AM
Why are apple devotees so blinded buy the apple product that they cannot give an honest review of another operating system.
I will not be using this site to evaluate any future hardware purchases.
Your bias towards Apple is blinding you, and loosing you custome well done give yourself a pat on the back
Report Permalinkaussie
April 20, 2010 at 8:23 AM
You are 100% correct you titled this review perfectly and I quote you, “Review: A Tragedy”.
This review is and I repeat IS a tragedy to good reporting.
Report Permalinktake off the apple tinted glasses
Mr_Wagstaff
May 4, 2010 at 11:50 AM
“It’s not quite ready for stylus-free use”, and why should any phone have to be stylus free?
It seems to me that by constantly harping on about the need to use a stylus in windows mobile we now have the shameful situation where the stylus has been completey taken away from what appears to be otherwise a superb phone. The release of a separate “special” stylus to carry around and somehow never lose it is totally unacceptable.
I use my Touch HD stylus with no problem whatsoever, why would anyone want to sketch or handwrite with their finger when we use pens naturally all the time and the stylus gives us that facility with a smartphone?
HTC please restore the STORED stylus to the Touch HD2.1 (3) Leave the children to play with their iPhones but give business users proper tools please. Word and Excel, PhatNotes and PhatPad with fingers? NO THANKS!
Report Permalinksam
July 25, 2010 at 11:12 AM
i love my new hd2. i got it from gsmauthority.com about a month ago and i haven’t been able to put it down since. the internet browsing is great, the camera, texting, calling, facebooking, games, apps, everything! i love it all. this is a great unlocked phone. the screen may be a little big, but it doesn’t bother me as much as i thought it would.
Report Permalinkjohncropter
July 30, 2011 at 5:39 PM
If you are against the windows mobile you can put the very latest android, windows phone 7, meego, ubuntu, and even windows 95 on this phone.
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