HTC Touch Pro2 Windows Phone, Mocha (T-Mobile)

Almost perfect: why I chose the Touch Pro 2 October 20, 2009

Reviewer:  Nathan Beauchamp "Dakotad555"  (Oak Park, IL USA) -

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.

Current Best phone for power users: addicts to texting, email, and chatting September 5, 2009

Reviewer:  Skyler A. Loth  (Tacoma) -

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!

BLOWS AWAY IPHONE & BLACKBERRY August 23, 2009

Reviewer:  Pequot Nutmeg "Da REVIEWR"  (Wilton, CT USA) -

PROS:
Huge hidden keyboard (iPhone & Blackberry do not). Vibro-feedback on touch screen keys (iPhone does not). Many "open source" customizable screens (iPhone does not). Removable battery (iPhone does not). Tilt screen (iPhone & Blackberry do not). T-Mobile's more flexible/affordable plans (iPhone does not). Built-in removable stylus (iPhone & Blackberry do not). MicroSD card for up to 32Gb additional storage (iPhone does not). Great battery life (iPhone does not).

Plus easy email, Facebook integration, amazing quality video, clever dual microphone/speaker "auto-conference calling" enabler, thousands of free apps, Accelerometer for smooth finger integration, updated software for a much faster response than Touch Pro (1), and much more.

CONS:
Decent audio, no standard 3.5mm headphone jack (surprised). Heavier and bulkier than Blackberry and iPhone (but so what). May have trouble with "TomTom Navigator 6" support (at the time of this review).

Sure iPhone & Blackberry have some other cool features, but overall, the HTC Touch Pro 2 is my "best pick" for coolness, function, reliability, expandability, cost, and support - hands down. GET ONE.

The perfect mobile phone November 17, 2009

Reviewer:  Luke Edson  (Dallas, TX) -

I got rid of the iPhone a while ago, as it wasn't able to get past the "play" stage for me. HTC has finally made a smooth business phone that is easy to use, stylish, and stable. I have Windows Mobile 6.5 on it which completes that usage!

Great hardware, limited by Windows Mobile October 13, 2009

Reviewer:  Mark Davis 

The hardware in the Touch Pro 2 is very impressive, starting with the large, bright, sharp 3.6" display. The screen is huge, and beautiful to look at. Much sharper than other phones I've used. The phone also sports a slide out keyboard and tilting display, which might seem gimmicky, but once you start using it, you don't want to stop. Integrated GPS, WIFI, 3G, 3MP camera also headline the Windows Mobile-powered device.

The good:
The 800x480 screen is gorgeous. Although it is a resistive touch screen, it is surprisingly responsive. Thanks to improvements in the Windows Mobile operating system & the HTC Touch Flo 3D interface, I almost never HAVE to use the stylus (although I do for some things, like web browsing). GPS works well. Although the camera is only 3 megapixel and has no flash, it takes pretty good quality screen. The keyboard is fantastic - big keys, well laid out. Web browsing (with Opera Mobile) is very good. Although there's no multitouch, I love the zoom bar at the bottom of the screen. Perfect integration with Exchange. Powerful multitasking, not quite Pre-level, but very good. Call quality is sharp, even in a low signal area. Although not completely snappy, the TP2 actually feels faster than its predecessor, the Touch Pro, despite having the same processor. A lot of 3rd party applications available, although very few are available in the Windows Mobile Marketplace. MyPhone is a great backup service, makes keeping your information (across multiple phones even) a breeze.

The bad:
Windows Mobile. Although HTC does a good job of sprucing up WM, it still is a dated operating system that doesn't compete well with newer ones like Android, WebOS, and iPhone. The screen is responsive for a resistive touch screen, but still not as good as a capacitive screen, which I believe is a limitation of Windows Mobile 6.1. Battery life is inconsistent - HTC included a big 1500 mAh battery, sometimes it lasts several days, sometimes barely one day. Camera could be higher resolution & could use a flash. The 528MHz Qualcomm processor has been a HTC staple for over a year now - it is starting to get a little sluggish with demanding applications. The keyboard is great, but a hair too wide for my smaller hands.

All in all, the Touch Pro2 is the best phone you'll find for Windows Mobile. It actually competes very well with non-WM phones like the iPhone, G1, and Blackberry - and in some ways, such as screen and keyboard quality, surpasses it. Windows Mobile 6.5 adds some nice new features, but still feels like an older operating system. Don't expect to be "wow'd" by the user interface, but the hardware of this phone is unsurpassed in many ways.

Thank You Amazon September 22, 2009

Reviewer:  Anhony E. Costa  (Michigan, south east) -

Listen, I'm pretty much of a tech guy. I waited for this phone. With the large screen, built in GPS SD Micro card, Windows Mobile running all my current software (Slingbox, Coreplayer, etc.) this phone has it all. So many features, great speaker and seems to be built very well. The phone has some issues but then I am very detailed and critical in my evaluation. Also this phone is a real deal from Amazon and has a great carrier, T-Mobile. Absolutely five stars rating. Thank you Amazon. Tony C.

Good Phone But Needs Customization March 3, 2010

Reviewer:  J. S. Green 

I bought this phone because I wanted a phone with a large screen, lots of memory, and a fast processor. I didn't particularly care about the sliding keyboard. Overall, this is a good phone, but it has some things to watch out for. For my purposes, I replaced the stock interface with SPB Mobile Shell 3, which is excellent and easy to use. I also added SPB Pocket Plus, which allows for customization of the buttons, Internet Explorer (adds tabs), and other functions.

Pro:
- Very nice screen. It is vibrant and clear. When the keyboard is slid out, the screen can be tilted, which would be useful for watching a video or doing a lot of emailing.

- Performance is fairly good, although I would recommend going to [...] to download a couple of tweaks that will make it run faster and use less memory.

- The sliding keyboard is actually quite useful. Although it lacks an OK button, you can generally use the ENTER switch for this purpose, especially on the Web. Touch and feel is excellent, and the keys are well spaced. There is a dedicated row of numbers as well. Overall, I think this is probably the best hardware keyboard ever on a Windows Mobile device.

- The phone has a light sensor, so that it adjusts the backlight to the ambient lighting. This both saves power and results in more appropriate backlight levels.

- The phone has a proximity sensor for use when you are making calls. If the phone is close to your ear, the screen shuts off. This prevents inadvertent activation of the screen buttons.

- The control for unlocking the phone and for answering an incoming call is to move a virtual slider to one side or the other. This eliminates the problem of having a flat screen - which would otherwise automatically unlock or answer the call. Unfortunately, the reminders DO NOT have a slider - see the "con" below as to the effect his has.

- All of the menu options are optimized for touch screen - they are large and easy to hit. The only time you need the stylus is when you are operating in the original Windows Mobile applications like settings screens and so forth. Speaking of the stylus, when you remove it, the screen is unlocked.

- The phone comes with the Mobile Office package, and the standard email programs. There is a handy setup email icon that walks you through setting up your emails. It has standard settings for the most popular web mail programs like gmail and yahoo. An associated program is installed to allow you to present Powerpoint presentations, presumably using the special TV-out features. I didn't check the output, although the program did read a PPT file and showed it on the device.

- There are built in applications for Facebook and twitter, if you are into those sorts of things. It also includes some other programs like Bing, Adobe Reader, a very nice calculator (changes to scientific in landscape mode), a custom COMM Manager to manage the radios (WiFI, etc), Internet sharing (allows one to use the high speed network as a computer modem - I haven't tried this), several IM clients, MSN Money and MSN weather, Remote Desktop (to access the device from the desktop), Windows Live, the WM media player, a YouTube player, a Quick GPS application (to synchronize the GPS location - speeds up the satellite acquisition), and the TeleNav application to provide voice guidance. I don't need most of this stuff. I am using a stand-alone navigator (Iguidance 2009) for navigation.

- Also included is MS voice command, which works very well for voice dialing over Bluetooth.

- The phone has an accelerometer, so it knows when you turn it sideways, and will support programs written to take advantage. The device comes with a nice (if simple) game that uses this feature.

- Web browsing is via Opera (default standard browser), or Pocket IE. You can go into IE and set it to detect the default browser - that that IE can become default. Since I find IE with tabs to be fine, I use that one.

- There is a handy zoom slider right below the screen. So far as I know it only works in the two browsers, but it is handy and easy to use - just slide the finger to the right to zoom, the other way to shrink.

- HTC has a special feature (found under the memory settings) that allows touching the "X" button to actually close the program, rather than minimize it. I recommend that you turn it on - assuming you can find it (see firmware update below).

- The device comes with a screen protector, case, wall adaptor, earbuds, and USB cable. There is also a (huge) dongle to connect the proprietary USB to a standard headphone.

- The device is capable of outputting TV, but I didn't check that function. It requires another adaptor.

- The speaker phone is adequate, and it has a nice feature in which when you are on a call you just flip the phone upside down and lay in on the table to enable the speaker phone. There is also a mute button on the back for use when in this mode.

- The phone features dual speakers and microphones. Noise reduction is very good, and I had no problems hearing or being heard during both normal and Bluetooth headset calling.

- The phone supports a micro-sd card which is SDHC compatible. I have an 8 Gb card in mine. You have to remove the battery cover (but do NOT have to power down the phone) to change the card.

Con:
- You pay for those nice physical features. This is a large phone, and pretty heavy. I don't mind this, but you should be aware that it will weigh down a pocket. If you want small and thin, this isn't it!

- The only external connector is in the format of a mini USB, but it is a special format. You either have to use the supplied headphones or the 2 inch long dongle that adapts a standard 3.5" headset. Since the Sprint version of the TP2 has the standard 3.5", I'm surprised that T-Mobile retained the USB. However it does sound good.

- The camera has good specs: 3.2 MP with autofocus, but there is no flash and I'm not overly impressed with the photo results. They are "OK", but not exceptional.

- I do not like the touch flow interface. I find it to be limiting, and not that intuitive. Also, with the updated Windows Mobile 6.5 firmware, T-Mobile (or HTC, I don't know which) has removed all access to the original Windows Mobile screens. I could not find any way to access even the "Today" settings screen in order to change the theme! Also missing was access to the detailed settings, including the information on the device. When I went over to Mobile Shell, I found a program called "HTC Settings" which contained all of these icons, but I cannot find any way to see it in the Touch Flo interface. So if you want to fully control your TP2, you may not want to use the built in interface. If you don't go behind the scenes, perhaps the stock interface is OK. It isn't for me; I want to be able to control my device.

- If you want to upgrade to the latest Windows Mobile 6.5, you can do this at [...]. This provides an update to the entire phone.

- This phone has a totally flat front, except for the four small buttons at the bottom. What this means in practical terms is that when a reminder goes off, it almost immediately gets silenced, because the main touch screen touches the carrying pouch. Also, I find that I need to be careful, especially in landscape mode, because I find myself gripping the screen - and accidentally touching the soft key. In my opinion, the slightly recessed screen format is superior. One interesting note is that what is labeled as a "back" key on the phone is actually an OK button.

- The default snooze on the reminders is fixed at 5 minutes. There is a way to get past this by modifying the registry, but that is a clunky solution to the problem.

- Battery life is abysmal if you are using the high speed internet, WiFi, or GPS. Basically, you should plan to charge this device daily if you use these features a lot. And head for the hills if you use more than one radio at once! I do find that I can make the battery last more if I turn off the 3G connection when not in use. I have mapped my phone "END" key (the right hand key) to shut off the 3G modem connection. Without any connections I expect it will last a couple of days in general use. There are aftermarket batteries available that will provide over twice the charge of the OEM battery, but the larger ones require a custom back, and the device is already large and heavy.

- The phone will get somewhat hot if any of the radios are in use. The manual says this is normal, but it runs hotter than any Windows Mobile device I have ever owned.

- I can't say if it is my SPB Mobile Shell or just the device, but the memory leaks like a sieve. I start out after a reboot with over 100Mb of memory, and by the end of the day it has lost about 40 Mb of that amount. Plan on a reboot every other day.

Summary:
I like the phone overall, but I would recommend using a different interface than the Touch Flo. This is a very capable device that will work well for the informed user. I would recommend it for two types of users: those who know very little about Windows Mobile (and might be OK with the interface), and experienced Windows Mobile users (who will be able to tweak the device to do what they like). I'm not sure that people in between those extremes will be entirely happy.

My favorite phone so far. Amazing capabilities. March 1, 2010

Reviewer:  GKCMilner  (Texas) -

I have an iPhone, but I just can't get good with the touch screen keyboard. I also don't like that it can't tether or multi-task. So I went shopping for a replacement. I ended up with a T-Mobile TP2 mainly for the keyboard and Windows Mobile. I was amazed at how much more this phone could do. It really is a very portable PC.

Pros:

The keyboard is the best, the display is clearer than my iPhone (higher resolution). The camera has autofocus and 3.2 megapixels (which are plenty for a camera phone) and it has video voicemail. I will say that I think the video on my iPhone is a bit better indoors.

The multitasking works great. I can listen to Pandora while working in mobile Office or creating text messages or e-mails. I have TomTom Navigator 7 on mine and I can listen to my music on my device through my car stereo and still have the GPS running.
I can also use this as a Wi-Fi router (with WMWiFi app). I let my son use my iPhone but without a data plan, so when he needs internet access he can connect through my phone without it have any effect on me using my phone. You can actually connect up to 5 devices. Very cool.

Another cool feature is that when the phone is connected to my cars Bluetooth system, if I get a text it will read it out loud over the speakers. How's that for hands free safety. Also, when connected to supported audio systems through USB (like all new Lexus's) you can select that it be connected as a mass storage device and it play all your music through the stereo and it charges the phone. You can also control all of your music through the vehicle audio system.

I love how that when you are talking on the phone, if you place it face down on a flat surface the speaker phone automatically turns on. There is also a mute button on the back.

I also like that you can get apps from anywhere; which is a good thing because the Windows Mobile Marketplace is seriously lacking as far as content compared to the Apple App store. There is tons of freeware on the web for Windows Mobile. Also, if you don't know xda-developers forum and you have this phone, it's time to google them.

A big marketing point on the iPhone is the multi-touch display, which I found to be more of a nuisance when using the phone one-handed. The TP2 has a very cool little zoom bar below the screen which makes it very easy to zoom when using the phone one-handed.

A couple more nice advantages: Micro SD card slot, and swappable battery. I also like Microsoft My Phone, which allows you to find (track) your phone from your computer if you lose it, and even wipe it clean remotely for security.

Cons:

If you are not into technology and just want a simple to use smart phone, this might not be your phone.

No dedicated headphone jack. This actually really bugs me.

I have updated the phone to WM6.5 and Windows Mobile is still not finger friendly, which is why the phone has a stylus. I actually like the stylus, but compared to my iPhone, it is just not as user friendly.

The screen response on my iPhone is better than on the TP2. Part of that is because the iPhone screen is capacitive and the TP2 is resistive, but I also I think part of the problem is that the WM operating system plus HTC TouchFlo requires a lot of system recourses and the Qualcomm processor is a little underpowered (or overwhelmed).

I didn't want this to be an iPhone bashing review and I'm sorry if it came across like that. I just enjoy this phone so much more than my iPhone. My son likes using the iPhone because he is in high school, and in high school image is important and the iPhone is cool.

Truly a Great Phone February 25, 2010

Reviewer:  D. Vineyard  (Texas, USA) -

This is a great phone. My previous phone was a smartphone (Windows Mobile) so I had to have another one when I upgraded to the newer technology. I have several email accounts set up in the phone and didn't want to lose that valuable capability with something like an iPhone.

Multitasking is good, plus the WM6 version is better about not accumulating a bunch of running applications. So I find it easier to shut down apps and not accidently leave them running. Although when I choose to run multiples thats possible too without any hassle. WM6 with HTC/TMobile additions has the TouchFlo3D which is very nice.

There is a ton of software that comes installed and even more free apps you can install for various functionality. I am a developer and used .Net to build my own apps. The phone has a shutdown function (power off) but not a reboot function. So I wrote my own app for it.

The bluetooth works great and can be used to activesync with a laptop if you like. I have also tethered with my netbook using internet sharing to get wireless connectivity anywhere. TMobile has instructions on how to do this on their website. So there really is no need for a hotspot or anything. 3G speeds are quite good even on the tethered netbook. YouTube vidoes work nicely as well.

Built in weather and stock apps are superb. I use them every day. Comes with the Opera browser which is really nice.

The phone has a sort of sleep mode with is not turned off but is in low use mode. This seems to affect very little and turns the screen off. The over all affect is that the battery life is awesome. On a smartphone it is amazing to get a full work day out of it. I get at least two days and thats with getting emails and bluetooth enabled. Very pleased with the battery life considering how much this does.

The GPS works great with Google Maps, but always requires connectivity (for Google). You can install a GPS application that stores maps locally on the phone if you plan to be in a dead-zone. The paid-service navigation app is on the phone, but I haven't used it.

Truly it is a PDA with appls and stuff for everything. Is it perfect? No. Haven't seen a phone yet that is, but this one is awesome. If you like to trick-it-out, search online for registry settings you can tweak in enabled useful features like additional camera picture modes that I fine awesome, or to make the Opera browser the default.

Oh, and the Windows 6.5 upgrade is availabe on TMobile's website. I upgraded without any problems (backup everything first. resets to factory) and I like it. It does take a bit more system memory when running, but no enough that its caused me any problems.

Issues: HTC software doesn't always work seemlessly with the windows software. Eg. When setting up wallpaper you apparently have to use the TouchFlo3D Settings tab. Setting an image while browsing to be the wallpaper never updates the TouchFlo wallpaper. I suppose if you were using the WinMo theme (without TouchFlo3D) you'd see that wallpaper. Not a problem, just took a while to figure why it wasn't setting it.

Basically I love this phone. I'd buy another one in a heartbeat.