HTC Touch Pro2 Smartphone

I am an HTC fan, so the following review may be a little biased.  My HTC appreciation started with the Qtek 8500, it progressed to the P3600 Trinity (http://www.epinions.com/content_312540827268), on to the P3700 Touch Diamond (http://www.epinions.com/review/HTC_Touch_Diamond_P3700_Cell_Phone/content_444949696132), and now the Touch Pro 2.  As a matter of fact, I sold my first factory unlocked European Touch Diamond and got a carrier-branded Touch Diamond last year – and made a profit doing so.

I was first aware of the Touch Pro 2 (TP2) during its product preview in early 2009.  I followed this phone closely through reviews and comments before its official launch.  I waited in vain for my local carrier to offer this phone they were too obsessed with run-of-the-mill iPhone and Blackberry offerings instead.  After almost two agonizing months, I buckled under the immense pressure - I walked into my favourite cell-phone vendor and walked out 10 minutes later with a lighter wallet.

Packaging and Set Up
Admittedly the Touch Pro 2 packaging is nowhere as eye-catching as the Diamond (which is shaped like a diamond), but it meets usual HTC standard.  In the box are the original HTC accessories such as spare stylus, stereo headset, charger, manual, and a leather case. 

I removed the back cover to install a 1500mAh battery and my SIM card.  It is good to have a 1500mAh battery after using the Diamond with a 900mAh battery.  I plugged in a 16Gb microSD card, and patiently waited for the unit to fully charged up.

On first start-up, the phone put me through the steps of initiation and set up, allowing me to choose my carrier, locale, and other usability items.  The set up process is painless and quick.

The phone looks and feels well-built.  Compared to a number of slider phones offered by LG and others, this phone sets itself apart.  The slider is solid and smooth, not wiggly like the LG.  The screen is clear, crisp and bright.  The keyboard is better than any slide out keyboards HTC has ever produced.

Upgrade to Windows 6.5
If your Touch Pro 2 comes with WM6.1, I would highly recommend an upgrade to 6.5.  The latest version of Windows Mobile is much more finger-friendly, and offers a slightly more stable platform.  On the esthetic side, the icons are better looking and the colour scheme is more vibrant.

You will need to go back to your provider to get the upgraded ROM.  My phone is the factory-unlocked European version and my upgrade process was a little more convoluted.  It involved getting a different bootloader in order to accept the official 6.5ROM.  Though it sounds very risky and complicated, it probably took me longer to read the instructions than to perform the actual upgrade.  Most importantly, if your phone came from your local carrier, then your upgrade process will be straightforward and simple.  If your phone is like mine, I would recommend http://www.xda-developers.com/ for an amazing array of tools and articles.

What is New?
The Touch Pro 2, as the name implies, is a touch phone and uses HTC’s TouchFLO 3D interface.  HTC added a few new features to the TouchFLO 3D interface to make it every more usable.  The “My Location” service ties very nicely with the “Today” home screen and weather page, so you have access to your location and weather information in multiple screens.  By eliminating a number of buttons and streamlining the remaining ones into just one row, the phone is less cluttered and has a much larger usable screen service.  Given the larger screen area, the touch interface works even better on the TP2. 

The phone comes preloaded with a number of useful applications such as Microsoft Office Mobile, facebook, FM Radio, JETCET presenter, both IE and Opera browsers, Remote Desktop Mobile, YouTube, and Google Map.  From the moment the phone is activated, it offers a rather complete suite of software.  You can download additional application via Handango or even Microsoft Marketplace.  Windows Mobile applications tend to be more business-focused, as opposed to Apple iPhone applications. 

Speaker Phone and Other Business Features
The target audience of TP2 is business users so it comes with something extra that business users appreciate.  For example, TP2 has one of the most advanced speaker phone feature using 2 microphones for noise cancelation.  When the phone is placed face down during a call, the speaker phone feature will be automatically engaged, and a mute button on the back will light up in green.  At any point during the speakerphone call, you can press the mute button to mute the line and the mute button will blink red.  In essence, you have a palm-size conference call phone.

In addition, TP2 makes it easier to place multi-party calls by allowing the user to pick participants from the phone book/contact.  During the call, participants’ pictures will appear on the phone and you can individually mute each party or hold a private conversation with a particular participant if necessary. 

The slide-out keyboard is a joy to use.  It lights up automatically when engaged and the subtle white LED illumination extinguishes itself after a period of inactivity.  The tactile feel of the keys is excellent, and quality of the overall keyboard is very apparent.  There are five rows of keys and they are well spaced for optimal access.  The keys do not travel as far as a typical Blackberry keyboard, however one can type quickly on it just the same.

I installed Microsoft VoiceCommand on the phone immediately after it was activated.  I have not yet tried other voice-driven applications but I am still quite satisfied with VoiceCommand, which I purchased way back when I bought the P3600 Trinity.

Other highly recommended tools you may want to install into this phone include: Advanced Configuration Tool by Julian Schapman, Touch InCall Screen Tweak by Marzens Ltd., and spb Backup.

Battery Life and Speed
Since my phone is the European version, its 3G connection works blazingly fast in Europe.  In North America, however, it is limited to EDGE.  Those who are planning to buy the T-Mobile version for use in North America will get full 3G service, so there is no need to be concerned.

The 1500 mAh battery is excellent.  I find myself down to more than 50% even with very heavy usage (more than 2 hours of calls plus high volume of email and web access) at the end of the day.   

Accessories
I would recommend securing a number of accessory items for the phone.  

A screen protector is most obviously a necessity.  Due to the “flush mounted” screen, a high quality protector is preferred as otherwise you will find the edges getting caught as the phone goes in and out of the holder.  

Personally, I consider a two-piece rubberized plastic hard case indispensible.  Yes, it makes the phone thicker and makes it look almost generic - obscuring all the wonderful curves and evidence of craftsmanship - but it protects the phone from getting banged and scratched.

I would also recommend getting a custom-made leather case for the unit from eBay.  Some of these eBay vendors (operating from China) offer a choice of leather, lining, colours (exterior and lining), clasp/magnet closure, belt loop/clip, etc.  I had two made, one to accommodate added bulk of the hard case, one for the unit in its el natural state.  They each cost less than $40, shipping included, and they were both beautiful pieces of lederwaren.

Summary
In my opinion, HTC succeeded once more in crafting a phone for people who want a solid business PDA phone with a lot of horsepower.  It is not an “entertainment” phone like iPhone and it is much more pleasant to use than the Blackberry.  The price tag is a little stiff if you have to buy it without a plan, but I will be happy pay the $700 to buy this phone again if I have to.  Until the next great phone comes along or when Android approaches maturity, whichever comes first, this will remain my phone of choice.