HTC Touch2 review

There's no denying that HTC has a phone to suit most markets, giving you the choice between Windows or Android, touchscreen, or non touchscreen, cheap or pricey. And chpice is good in our opinion.

However, when compared to Android, Windows Mobile has left us reeling in the past - after all, its antiquated, clunky interface stopped you from carrying out any task quickly, the design was quite frankly awful and using your finger to operate the phone was impossible.

The Touch2 slots into the lower end of the HTC touchscreen portfolio, and although Windows Mobile might not be the top choice for people who have used a Windows Mobile phone, the inclusion of the revamped Windows Phone OS mixed with the highly usable TouchFLO 3D interface changes this.

Windows 6.5 is a vast improvement on previous Windows interfaces, because it's all based upon fingertip navigation rather than dependence on a stylus.

The innovative lock screen displays all missed calls and new text messages. Tap or slide the missed calls or new message icon and you can view who's called you or the text message without having to unlock the phone first.

The homescreen has been gratefully redesigned, comprising a list of items such as clock, email and music. When you highlight any of these, you can view extra information, such as new emails, or start them up without having to trawl through the apps list. Favourites allows you to access your most used apps direct from the homescreen. To scroll through these, you just need to swipe across.

However, there are some places where the old school Windows interface shines through, such as in email and text messaging. Although it looks pretty unattractive, a stylus is included, hidden away in the casing to help you type away on the rather odd two-letters-to-a-key Qwerty keyboard.

If you're not too hot on this homescreen interface, you can of course use HTC's TouchFLO 3D UI which is even more optimised for use with your fingers. For those who are not familiar with TouchFLO 3D, it's a multi-display feature that allows you to browse through different menus without having to enter the Start screen. For example, the Home screen displays information such as the time, call history and calendar. The second screen is the People tab where you can view your contacts and your communication with each of your contacts. Other tabs show Mail, Internet, Calendar, Stock, Music, Photos, Weather, Settings and programs.

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