Well Gizmodians, one of this year’s most anticipated smartphones has finally hit Aussie shores. Months after we first caught a glimpse of the smartphone, HTC showed off their brand spanking new HTC Touch Pro to a bunch of curious tech journos today. And the verdict: it’s surprisingly impressive.
In the flesh, the Pro looks a hell of a lot like its little brother, the Touch Diamond. In fact with its TouchFlo 3D interface, 3.2 megapixel camera, direct printing capabilities, internet access and a whole bunch of other fancy stuff, you can’t help but ask: why did HTC even bother releasing the Diamond?
The answer to that question lies in the phone’s profile.
Turn the Pro on its side, and you’ll instantly see it’s double the thickness and considerably heavier than its older sibling the Diamond, thanks to the Pro’s full qwerty keyboard. The inclusion of the keyboard means that this handset is targeted directly at the professional user. Unlike the Diamond and its cramped keys, the Pro’s keyboard is surprisingly comfortable to use, with clearly defined, raised buttons and an entire row specifically for numbers.
A few other notable improvements, such as its higher battery life and capacity, increased RAM (288MB as opposed to the Diamond’s 192MB), TV out option, non slip matt backing for easy one-handed use, and memory card expansion slot (microSD 2.0 capable of 32GB), shows that it’s clearly designed more for the corporate business user or Shane Warnes among us.
While it’s not all stars and sunshine; the Pro is heavy, has a USB headphone port rather than a dedicated 3.5mm jack, requires subscription to additional software to make the most out of its GPS capabilities and will never grace a mobile phone catwalk thanks to its bulk. And did we mention it’s heavy? On the upside, it is sleek, stylish, streamlined and perfect for anyone who breaks out in hives at the thought of typing an email on a T9 keypad.
The Pro will be available through 3 Mobile later this month and at $1099 to own out right (or $22 per month on a $69 cap) it’s not bad value. Other carriers should get their hands on it in mid-October.