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HTC Touch: (Elf - P3450) 
SoloPalmari Review (page 1)
- INTRODUCTION
Touch, a name which not only describes the technological implications of HTC's new device, but also manages to suggest suave sensual connotations - that's admirable marketing! Looking at the HTC lying on my desk, with its screen turned off, you would be forgiven if you were to mistake it for an elegant mobile phone, a thin and stylish smartphone perhaps. You would understandably be fooled by the display which appears to run flat with the rest of the front casing, not showing the typical bevelling that we normally associate with touchscreens. Furthermore, the protective glass covering the display is much more rigid than the typical touchscreens we've become accustomed to, with an almost diamond-like shine and clarity.
The hardware itself, although feature-packed, can not be considered as truly innovative, although the technology used to simplify (and at the same time enhance) the Windows Mobile interface is indeed revolutionary.
TouchFLO, HTC's trade mark for their new patented user interface technology, is the result of a finely tuned association between the newly created software layer and the electronic sensors placed below the screen digitizer. This union results in a unique user experience thanks to a display that manages to recognise and interpret not simply touch but finger movements across the screen, with the interface also able to distinguish finger commands from normal stylus taps and reacting accordingly. What this actually all means is that names in your contact list can be scrolled up by sliding your finger from the bottom of the display upwards, and vice versa. This rolling motion can continue according to virtual inertia forces, gradually slowing down like a wheel of fortune, or it can be stopped abruptly by a tap on the screen. In the same way, a web page or Word document can be quickly scanned for a precise spot or passage, the Today screen can be summoned by the tip of your finger, and from there a multimedia player can be opened, and so on.
- PACKAGING: WHAT'S INSIDE THE BOX?
The test unit we have reviewed is actually a prototype, complete with the TouchFLO interface, practically identical to the model that will soon be found in retail stores. We just wanted to be clear about that, just in case there should be any small differences to the shipped units, and also to explain why there may be some changes regarding included accessories. For example, reading the official press release, we've just discovered that the HTC Touch packaging will also contain a 1GB microSD card, included in the price. Other boxed accessories and contents should include a power/sync cable (USB/mini USB), a protective case, wired stereo headphones (suitable for both stereo music playback and mono phone calls). It will rarely be used, but we should also mention that a stylus is included, together with the classic Microsoft Outlook software for PC.
- TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
We've already mentioned that the hardware configuration is fairly standard, but that shouldn't be interpreted as a negative comment. The Elf, to refer to it using its code name before being officially marketed as the HTC Touch, does still have a rich set of features. Wireless connectivity is on par with the latest consumer market offerings, while Bluetooth 2.0 ensures easy and efficient interfacing between devices. The complete details are as listed below:
- Operating System: Windows Mobile 6 Professional
- Telephone Module: quadband GSM/GPRS/EDGE
- CPU: TI OMAP 850 running at 200 MHz
- Memory: 64 MB RAM – 128 MB ROM (1GB microSD card included)
- Display: 2,8'' with 320 x 240 pixel resolution
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi b/g, Bluetooth
- Camera: 2 MP
- Expansion Slot: microSD
- Battery: 1.100 mAh
- Dimensions and weight: 99,9 x 58 x 13,9 mm - 112 grammes
The battery capacity is correctly proportioned, the installed memory is of the right quantity, the CPU is well-tested and frugal, while dimensions and weight are noticeably reduced. The whole device is well balanced with only one real omission: support for 3G UMTS/HSDPA networks. Although not quite a standard in most of Europe and the rest of the World, this technology is rapidly becoming increasingly popular. Again, we can only suggest that this decision was made following the necessity to strike a balance between a reduced form-factor and the use of a popular chipset that has already proven to be the perfect compromise between size and performance.
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