it does look quite neat!

will it work on Verizon?

NO. GSM ONLY
ATT will be getting this around July 8th too! SWEEEEEEETTTT

Shame they went with super thin over a qwerty keyboard.

Sorry for caps :( I am just excited.

@TheManator: Final triple post I know, sorry. But I know this as I work for ATT and the expected release date is July 8th. It is to replace the 8925 Tilt TyTn II.

oh yes - this could easily be confused with the iPod Touch:
HTC Touch vs iPod Touch - especially with that Windows "start" logo nice and prominent_

but no mention of screen resolution, and no real headphone jack. How hard is it to put a real headphone jack in?

also, how can it replace the tytn II if it has no keyboard?

Well, now I understand why the Touch Diamond isn't launching in the US right away - it only supports UMTS band I and VIII, both of which are Europe only.

Wow, you vastly exceeded your superlative limit, HTC.

Sappiest press release EVER.

You know what this product does, it just goes to show you how good the iPhone really is on multiple levels. You're paying over $750.00 (£394.99) for 4GB of Memory and the same feature set as what will be released in the iPhone 2. Except, there is no Music Store attached to it, and there is no Application Store attached to it. So you're going to be fumbling to get your music and applications on there. People are smart, but they still want simplicity. And since you're using the Windows API to program, the applications that you do put on there will probably look like diarrhea.

@RamV10: I think they're going to also announce the HTC Raphael later (the replacement for the Sprint Mogul). It is the same as the Diamond with a slideout keyboard and a TV Output capability. Both this and the Diamond have 640x480 high density screens with accelerated video drivers. The Raphael will be NO JOKE.

Oh Addy, I love a blogger who can correctly conjugate her invented Latin phrases...oh, and I think this is an interesting phone too. The diamond pattern a la Nokia's UGly series (whatever they're called) doesn't do much for me, but the size, form factor and OS look nice.

Windows mobile kills it for me, but it looks like HTC has done a nice job making it as background as possible.

@Joseph: Why do you need an application store when tons of applications are available online. And what fumbling is involved when you sync the HTC just like an iPhone? I've gotten along nicely with music NO THANKS to iTunes. And atleast I can increase my memory with microSD cards. I can also use my current HTC to link to any computer and share my internet connection at (on most occasions) 500 kbps.

Put down the Kool-Aid.

Man, I wish I could afford $#!t like this. My son and 2 of my friends have the HTC 6800 and that is such a nice phone.

Any mention of UMA capabilities on the phone?

But, do you still need a stylus? or the finger nail tip to browse the "touch" interfase?

if yes = FAIL!

... needs iphone-like touch interaction..

Will they EVER do away with that fucking start menu!?

@DustyButt: Why should we even need SD cards anymore? Frankly, I think it's a joke, and for the prices that these phones ask for, the manufacturers should at least put a more generous amount of storage on board. 8GB minimum would do more than OK for most tasks on a smartphone.

As a hardcore HTC user over the past 2 years, I can say with confidence that Windows Mobile will fuck up any great design that HTC comes up with. I'm getting a 3g iPhone on day one.

I know that blackberries and iphones are completely different, and for this reason I bought a blackberry pearl II from verizon and an iPod touch from Apple, just so that I would have all of my bases covered.

I never use the iPod Touch and I'm glad I don't have to. I can't imagine e-mailing on an iPhone, what a nightmare. By the time you iPhone people finish writing your response, I will have found a lower bidder!

I know totally off topic but whatever

What is it with the piano black finishes on every gadget design these days?

Sure it looks great in pictures or on display but, as far as normal use goes, it's a bloody nightmare.

Think instantly covered in fingerprints and small scratches. The same goes for the shiny chrome finish on the back of iPods.

@Kaiser-Machead: For me I also use my SD card to store things from my work computer. I always have them on-hand and can email them from wherever I am. I use my phone as a tool at work, not just to listen to music and watch video on the train. Most days I get to "work" from home. By using my phone properly I can get things done from just about anywhere.

I have to admit... I like (maybe even love) the iPhone's NICE UI, but I like the grown up flexibility of my HTC Mogul. If the iPhone could give me the flexibility of my Mogul... I'd be there in a split second. But for ME it doesn't.

@cmsjustin: This is so true.

I used to be Windows Mobile, hell, I used to be HPC since the days of WinCE 2.0. Why is Windows Mobile so slow and bloated compared to the iPhone OS? Is Redmond re-writing the code? Is there any hope with 7.0? Although it may be too late for me now as I've switched my PCs to Macs now as well as my phones to iPhones so it would make no sense for me to buy a WinMo phone now. But, I suspect this phone will be just like the rest, a big rage when it comes out and then on to the hacker forums to figure out how to trim it down or remove unecessary bloat in order to improve performance, battery life, etc.

@DustyButt: You don't need an App store, but you need a place that people can easily go to get applications. When people want to buy video games, they know you can go to Best Buy, Toys R Us, or Circuit City and pick a game up. With mobile devices, there is a loosely coupled business model for selling applications online. The App Tapp Installer showed that with a central spot, people are more inclined to try out more applications for productivity and customization.

The sync is fine with HTC and I'm not super excited about iTunes, but it is the largest music store online right now, and if HTC is gonna tout being a media platform, but you have to piece-meal your movies together by downloading CD/DVD rippers, converters, and all sorts of other apps just to get it working, I don't think they will achieve as much success as Apple. Now granted, there are a lot of smart people who know how to do all of that. When I had my treo, I could play videos on it, and listen to music, but all my non-computer savvy friends where blown away by how I did it. When you make it simple for everyone (not just the elite), you'll get higher market penetration.

You could increase your memory with the microSD cards and bring the total price of that phone to $900+ ($700 for the phone plus $200 for a 12GB microSD). Sharing your internet is probably the only advantage I see, but I don't think it will be more than a few months after the dev environment is opened up that Apple will have the same feature. It's just software, the hardware, networking protocols are already in place.

HTC has over 10 years of experience with mobile cellular devices; Apple has less than 1 and Apple is blowing HTC off the map. And look who is trying to copy who.

Pick up the Kool-Aid, and throw some Rum in it.

Wow. I just read HTC's press release and the world they live in must not include the iPhone. It sounds like they took an iPhone review and did a find an replace with HTC Touch.

I'm glad the handset market is evolving and I hope someone surpasses the iPhone. It's good for consumers. But this "catch up" game is stupid.

How can they match the iPhone feature for feature and claim innovation?

Yes, I realize it has some features the iPhone doesn't but it also doesn't match up to the iPhone in some areas.

nice, but i'm already sick of windows mobile. i have a samsung blackjack 2, and wm6 slow, ie just stops working arbitrarily once every other day or so causing me to have to reboot and blah blah. yes, i know i could use opera or whatever, except for the fact that at&t makes it so you have to approve a java app connecting to the network *every fucking time it wants to connect* so i don't bother because it's a pain in the ass. it's a shame, because i like the phone itself. at this point i'm ready to drink the kool aid with an iphone when the new version comes out.

@Joseph: Like I said. Iuse my SD card to store work files. Allowing mt to access them and share them anywhere I am. I sometimes need to share my phone's internet connection with a computer (at DSL speed is a bonus).

If the iPhone could do that I'd be sold, immediately. But it can't, and those things to ME are more important than buying games, and watching movies. Besides it's not that hard to get my hands on movies, music or apps.

Your milage may vary... Lemme see that rum!

Its sad the the front looks so good and the back is ugly as sin. It doesn't have to have a cheesy diamond shape for you to call it diamond. that and windows mobile, sad.

Can anyone download the video and post a link up somewhere. The video on their site keeps freezing up.
Video Link: [www.htc.com]

Love the back of it. That's real style. As opposed to just making everything black or grey, and defending it all with cliches about "minimalist beauty."

Not a reference to anyone specific, of course!

How is this "iPhone-esque" ?

Just because it's a phone with nice screen size and touch capability does not make it "iPhone-esque".

That's akin to saying that Lebron James is "Jordan-esque" because they both shoot the basketball.

It's not like Apple is the only who ever thought of those things.

This phone looks original and it looks sweet...

and I happen to own an iPhone (as if you care).

@DustyButt: Aight imma make a web service aimed at helping you out! Online certificate enabled 5GB storage. You can get your files anywhere you have internet. I gotta finish my current project though.

I just talked to my friend who has the Tilt and he doesn't his phone to tether internet, but he does store his work files on it. You know what you should do. Write a letter into Apple telling em the features you want and sign it as "John Mayer" That will definitely get you the features you want :).

Oh, here's the Rum.

"That's real style. As opposed to just making everything black or grey"

@ OliverTwist:

Um, the back of the HTC *is* black. So because they added some bumps and grooves it becomes "real style?"

Methinks you've been taken in by the flowery language of the press release...

No QWERTY. Bleh. No thanks.

@frogpelt:

I think I commented on the wrong post...

This is the one I was commenting on:
[gizmodo.com]

$750 new for a 4GB version? Where are all the posts complaining about the price?

When the 8GB iPhone was released for $599, we never heard the end of it. "Who would pay so much for a phone? Why is everything Apple overpriced? etc..."

@Shabbis: It's the standard these days to accuse Apple of overcharging. When low-spec designer phones from the likes of Tag-Heuer come out with a lump of crap with croc skin on the back asking for over $1500, the complaints are not nearly as enthusiastic.

No glass screen? I wouldn't want a phone like this without a glass screen. Other than costs, why would they bother with a plastic screen that will just get tore up and look like shit? Not to mention my iphones touch interface barely cuts it for me, it is buggy, it locks up and runs like shit 20 percent of the time. But when it works it is way better than these other companies' feeble attempts.

Sorry, but that thing is crap.
HTC doesn't even have software b/c they have to use MS stuff to power their stuff.
Not Apple! They build their world class products from scratch!!! From the ground up baby!
What pc do you know of on the market has their OWN OS? I thought so. There ain't no windows launch button on my mac. Yee-haw!
I'm going to get the iphone once it goes 3G with my tax rebate. June 13th!
And Shabbis, you're right. I suspect the iphone being overpriced crap talk was initiated by very scared competitors. We are witnessing the birth of a super product and no other phone on the market can beat it.
Period!
Ok, let me get of the acid trip and come down to earth.
I just like Apple b/c it is one of the few American companies we can root for. They got game like no other.
And respect to those who don't buy Apple. The choice is yours.

Peace.

In other words, its not for the US.

Not too bad. Can't wait till Sprint gets them in. I may just drop my Mogul for this. If it IS done right.

Dear lord, tell me they will not have the same/similar video driver issues killing the tilt...

It's nice I guess, but WinMo's onscreen keyboard will ruin this. Who wants to pull a stylus out anymore?
Also, why only a 2.8" screen? Why even bother with VGA?
If you had a 3" - 3.5" VGA screen (like the old Dell's), you could have a half screen keyboard that would be almost usable.
I'm so bored with smartphones right now...

Other companies should learn with HTC specially meetoocrosoft (M$) with all their wanna-be products. After the iPhone this seem to be really the first company not trying to copy the iPhone. The only crappy thing in this design is this central button that in fact is an ugly "belly button"... strange navel. The other bad thing is that it is running windoze.

@LagunaSol: I typed "black" when I meant "white."

And then I ran far, far away.