70 of 72 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Almost perfect: why I chose the Touch Pro 2, October 19, 2009
This review is from: HTC Touch Pro2 Windows Phone, Mocha (T-Mobile) (Wireless Phone)
I spent over a month reading about and researching phones before finally ultimately choosing the HTC Touch Pro 2. I considered the i-phone (although not for very long once I heard the 3Gs is currently impossible to jailbreak), the blackberry, and a few other phones like the HTC Hero. I settled on the Touch Pro 2 for many reasons, but the primary were its phenomenal feature set, well designed QWERTY keypad, and ability to run open source programs. That said, there are a few downsides to this otherwise excellent phone--I'll get into those later in this review. Also it's worth noting that this phone sells for quite a bit more if bought directly from t-mobile. Amazon has the cheapest price (as of October 2009) by far.
The build quality of this phone is excellent. It has that 'solid' feel that is hard to otherwise quantify, but that you know when you interact with it. The i-phone has the same sort of feeling to it. The phone is also pleasingly tactile, and feels great to hold and use. This is one of the difficult to quantify things about a phone, but is so important since most of us use our phones everyday for at least a year. I believe RIM understands this design principle better than anyone--Blackberry's have always been great to hold--but the Touch Pro 2 is proof that HTC has learned a thing or two about making a phone more than just another device.
Windows Mobile 6.5 is already available for the international version of the Touch Pro 2, but won't be available for the t-mobile version for another few months. However, there is little in Windows Mobile 6.5 that the Touch Pro 2 does already have with TouchFLO 3D. The TouchFLO interface makes using the touch screen easier. I find I almost never need to use the stylus except when browsing detailed web pages with a lot of text links. Scrolling from panel to panel is accomplished by using simple drag gestures from right to left or wonder-of-wonders, right to left--one of my pet peeves in menu design is when you cannot scroll both directions. Don't expect much from WM 6.5 when it is released. Bottom line: WM, regardless of version, is pretty poor, but the Touch Pro 2 and accompanying TouchFLO interface are excellent.
Multitasking is also excellent. You can answer a phone call, open your calendar and make entries, view a PDF and transition to a conference call all with a minimum of fuss. They've done a lot to make the phone intuitive to navigate, and I've found I can pretty much figure out how to do most things without referring to the manual. TouchFLO makes navigation really easy (more on TouchFLO later in the review) and makes shifting from one task to another simple.
Believe what you've read about the QWERTY key pad. It is definitively the best key pad out there. I've used quite a few, and tested even more while researching my new phone including various blackberries and the sidekick. The Touch Pro's keypad is easy to use, feels great, and gives solid tactile response at each key-tap. I can type in the range of 30 words a minute with reasonable accuracy. I think I could type even more quickly if the keypad had an 'alt' key on the right side of the keypad and not just the left. This is a surprising disappointment in an otherwise perfect keypad.
The 480x800 resolution screen is a sight for sore eyes (literally). If you're moving up from a previous generation phone, prepare to be impressed. Even if you're switching from a phone with a pretty good screen like a blackberry, this screen will still impress you. Crystal clear, excellent color accuracy, and all kinds of real estate for a mobile device. Watching videos on You Tube, playing games, reading text, ect., all benefit from the gorgeous screen.
Wifi connectivity works well and makes surfing the web or using the you tube application a joy. Some reviews have mentioned terrible frame rates when playing You Tube videos. I have not found this to be the case, even on the t-mobile 3G network. Streaming videos works just fine in my experience.
The included media player (WM 6.1 default) is a joke and should be ignored. Download one of the many free (and far superior) media players out there rather than suffering with the WM version. Sadly, the Touch Pro does not have a 3.5mm audio jack. This is probably the single most frustrating thing about the phone and a glaring omission for a phone that could otherwise also serve as a media player powerhouse if it did. The included dongle which connects to HTC's proprietary USB connection converts to a non-standard 2.5mm jack, which makes it useless: imagine using a dongle connected to a 2.5mm-3.5mm converter connected to your headphones--stupid.
The Touch Pro 2's emphasis on keeping you connected with your friends through an integration of your contacts, text messages, face book, instant messenger, etc., is a good idea in theory but with mixed results in application. Threading SMS works very well, as does integration with facebook (which lets you choose which notifications you want to receive) but tagging all your contacts with their corresponding facebook page is time consuming.
The camera is ho-hum. Not bad but not great either. It works well when there's plenty of light but not so well in dim light or at night. It's suitable for taking informal shots of friends and such, but won't really impress even by camera phone standards.
Summary:
PROs:
1) Non proprietary system that allows you to run what ever programs you feel like
2) TouchFLO interface is excellent
3) Supports up to 32gb micro SD cards (try getting that from an i-phone)
4) Build quality is great
5) 480x800 resolution screen is flawless
6) QWERTY keypad is best in class
7) Good multitasking
8) 3G coverage in most major metropolitan areas (I live in Chicago and coverage is good-excellent depending on where I am)
CONS:
1) No 3.5mm audio jack
2) No right 'alt' key on key pad
3) Expensive if bought directly from t-mobile
4) Windows Mobile 6.1 (or 6.5 for that matter) is old and outdated
ADVANTAGES over the i-phone:
1) Not proprietary and can use third party applications
2) Supports micro SD cards
3) Has a tilt screen
4) Better battery life (3-4 hours more depending on how you use the phone)
5) Is not contractually locked to AT&T
ADVANTAGES over the Blackberry 8900:
1) Support for 3G network coverage
2) Tilt screen
3) Better third party e-mail support
4) Better multi-media support
This is a great phone. The more I use it, the more I like it. If you want a rock solid smart phone that is as great looking as it functional, the Touch Pro 2 is an excellent choice and beats out the i-phone and Blackberry smart phones in my opinion.
4.5/5 Stars.
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45 of 47 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Current Best phone for power users: addicts to texting, email, and chatting, September 4, 2009
This review is from: HTC Touch Pro2 Windows Phone, Mocha (T-Mobile) (Wireless Phone)
This is the most spectacular phone that I have owned.
I recently got this phone and I chose the T-mobile Touch Pro 2 over the Iphone 3GS, Palm Pre, Blackberry tour, and MyTouch 3G.
It was money well spent and is the perfect phone for me!
Before you buy though... 3 things:
1. The Touch Pro 2 is a big device. Its not TOO big, but don't expect to fit it in your jean pocket if you are a girl. If you are a guy, wear a belt if you put the phone in your pocket. I have to do this or else the sheer weight of the device will win...
2. It runs Windows Mobile.
A. If you know what xda-developers is.... this will be a phone that can withstand at least 2 years and STILL be a cutting edge device. Money well spent!
B. If you don't know what xda-developers is and you are tech-savvy, Google it! Have fun.
C. If computers scare you... think about purchasing a less-complicated phone with less features. You probably won't understand how to work this phone.
3. Get a data plan with this phone. $24.99 may seem like a lot... but without it you will miss out on so much.
As time goes on, my phone keeps getting better. Once again, if XDA rings a bell, BUY THIS PHONE and you will be delighted. The software on it is superior to any other phone on the market today. If xda means nothing to you, the touch pro 2 is still a great device (with a few software flaws.) It is still worth your money!
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