HTC Touch Cruise review

Dave Oliver

The USP with the Cruise is that it has built-in GPS with maps from TomTom Navigator, so you could get away with calling it the Tom Cruise

We review the HTC Touch Cruise smartphone which offers everything from WiFi amd HSDPA connectivity to TomTom GPS satnav software

HTC was once the discreet brains behind the clever Windows Mobile smart phone devices peddled by virtually all of the major networks (O2's xda, Orange's SPV, T-Mobile's MDA, and they're still doing it). Now of course it's out and proud and doing a very good job of combining versatility, functionality and style with its Touch branded series of touchscreen smart phones.

The Cruise runs on the latest Windows Mobile 6 platform and is noticeably chunkier than previous models (though this looks like it will be corrected with the soon-come Touch Diamond), and there's no sign of the Touch Dual's hard keypad, just the 2.8-inch touch screen, which, since it works so well, is all you really need.

Sturdy but simple

The rubberised plastic case feels pretty sturdy, though it comes with a soft case to protect the screen. Underneath this, the D-pad has a spinning outer rim which is easy to control and helps you to scroll through menus and playlists. Surrounding it are four flush buttons: call start and stop, Internet Explorer and a programmable key (very useful with a device as feature-packed as this).

On the sides are a camera shutter button, voice record/voice dial and a volume slider. You'll need to tap the top-mounted power button to bring it out of standby, to which it will revert at whatever time span you set (default is about two minutes).

A tap on the call start button brings up the numerical keypad, another tap on the bottom of the screen will bring up the QWERTY-ish 20-key keyboard, with two letters available on each button press. It's a compromise solution which allows for bigger keys than you'd get with a full QWERTY version, but it's still quicker to use than a T9-style digit/letter type and you can easily get away with using your thumb rather than the supplied metal stylus which slots into the side.

Go with the TouchFLO

Like its predecessors, the screen has the TouchFLO interface, which allows you to rub your thumb across the screen for quick access to contacts, media and other shortcuts via the Touch Cube interface. Think of it like a dice that you turn over with your thumb to reveal different faces. Except there's only three of them. Erm, never mind, it works anyway.

Actually, TouchFLO really comes into its own elsewhere, when you're browsing webpages for instance, as you can brush the screen to flit around the page. Or in the HTC Gallery, which is a bit special and a welcome upgrade to the standard Windows Mobile gallery.

You can browse your pics by brushing across them, and zoom in and out by twirling your finger in circles on the screen. A tight circle does the zoom thing, a broad circle will change the orientation. Very intuitive and easy to use, it's exactly this sort of thing that makes the Touch series stand out. (Although if you are lucky enough to own an iPhone all of this will seem rather old hat).

Tom Tom Cruise...

The USP with the do-it-all Cruise however is that it has built-in GPS with maps from (oh yes!) TomTom Navigator, so you could get away with calling it the Tom Cruise, if you were so inclined. Very nice it is too, offering clear, detailed British and European maps with voice guidance on the supplied 1GB microSD memory card plus traffic info, petrol stations, landmarks, hotels, weather etc etc. The latest dedicated sat-nav devices may boast a few more features but this certainly does the job you need it for, and a bit more besides.

We found it easy enough to get a signal in London but there's a plug for an additional GPS aerial (not supplied) and a dedicated holder so you can use it in the car.

There's a 3.6Mbps HSDPA connection which is fine for browsing, though there's also a Wi-Fi connection if you need to do some heavier downloading, chat using VoIP, listen to internet radio or want some jitter-free streaming video. It comes with Internet Explorer as standard but there's also the far nicer Opera browser if you prefer.

The 3 megapixel camera takes pretty good pics with a decent range of options including multishot and timer, plus the usual post-editing features. The screen is less than ideal for framing photos however, suffering from a fair degree of lag as you move it around. Video quality is noticeably worse than still shots, and it's actually pretty rubbish if there's any movement going on, which is kind of the point of video. There's also a camera on the front for 3G video calls - if you're one the 8 people in the UK who ever makes them.

The music player is perfectly serviceable, though it lacks the eye candy of those from Sony Ericsson or Nokia for instance. Still, it's straightforward and easy enough to find your way around plus there's a three-band graphic equaliser with a score of presets.

The supplied headphones are a bit of a problem though, since they're tinny and nasty and there's no 3.5mm jack plug to add your own upgrade (though stereo Bluetooth will let you use a wireless alternative). There's also an FM radio on board with RDS for station ID and 20 presets.

Office Mobile is onboard, allowing you to create and read Word, Excel and PowerPoint docs and you can read PDFs with Adobe Reader. It's perfect for synchronising with a Windows PC of course and includes Direct Push Outlook email which gives the Blackberry a run for its money.

For its sturdy build and compact dimensions, its usability and sheer versatility the HTC Touch Cruise is a winner. With a beautifully executed touch screen, HSDPA, sat-nav, 3 megapixel camera, MP3 player, FM radio and Bluetooth, it's a great little go-anywhere pocket companion.