A few months ago, rumor was that HTC would bring Sense to all its products, regardless of OS. This was actually a mistranslation, from PR speak to English—HTC planned to adopt certain aspects of Android's Sense—the social networking integration, primarily—across its product line, not to replicate it on Windows Mobile. What that leaves us with is a fresh version (2.6) of the venerable TouchFlo 3D, seen here on the HTC Touch Diamond2, but eventually destined for the mysterious "Leo" handset that's been confusing everyone for the last few months.

The changes from the already great 2.5 are actually fairly hefty: there's a new, Hero-like homescreen with a fresh widget system, and new graphics scattered throughout. And although it feels like a strange thing to get excited about in 2009, HTC has added color to some of the more drab parts of the interface, giving TouchFlo a generally richer feel. Of course, Windows Mobile 6.x still lurks under all this gloss, but hey, at least it's got nice clothes. [PocketNow]

TouchFLO 3D 2.5 also allows for more customization than before, including three user-defined buttons on the home screen. Hopefully we'll be seeing it in action sometime in August. Check out the video below to see it in motion, though be warned: Them fellas aren't speaking English. [PocketNow

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.

Now, it bears mentioning that HTC is pretty diligent about updating their phones, releasing driver and software updates to improve performance when necessary. Problem is, these updates don't usually trickle down through the cellular providers, leaving most users stuck with the first (and only) generation of the phone's branded—and sometimes crippled— software. Thanks to XDA, most users can switch to an up-to-date OS, with a variety of extra tweaks added at the discretion of the community.

What do you stand to gain from upgrading your ROM?

• Better battery life
• Faster performance, especially in TouchFLO 3D
• Stronger reception
• Quicker, less laggy GPS locking and tracking
• Bundles of useful software, included updated, faster Opera browser
• Reenabling carrier-chopped features such as tethering, HDSPA

Popular phones best suited for upgrade:

• Touch
• Touch Dual
• Touch Diamond
• Touch Pro
• Other variants

The prospect of upgrading your phone's entire OS might sound intimidating, but the XDA community has provided GUI tools for each step. The procedure is not risk-free, but the success rate polls highly among people who follow the directions closely. I flashed T-Mobile's branded Diamond, the MDA Compact IV, without incident.

Ready to give this a shot? XDA's detailed guides are available here:

• Touch/Touch Dual
• Touch Diamond/Touch Pro
• 
  Others can be found in the device subforums here.

If ROMs and bootloaders and radios all sound too scary (and I wouldn't blame you), XDA also has a hefty collection of simpler tweaks and mods for your HTC phones, including themes, games and apps that you might not find elsewhere.

Expect to hear a lot more about these guys in the coming months—they'll probably be the first ones to port Android to older HTC handsets. As of the 4th, they've got a severely gimped version of Android 0.8 (the G1 launched with 1.0) running on the Diamond, so an "Install Android on Your HTC Phone" Dealzmodo Hack is inevitable, if still pretty far off. [XDA Developers and ModMyDiamond]

Dealzmodo Hacks are intended to help you sustain your crippling gadget addiction through tighter times. If you come across any on your own that are particularly useful, send it to our tips line (Subject: Dealzmodo Hack). Check back every Thursday for free DIY tricks to breathe new life into hardware that you already own.

Sorry it's a bit blurry—we had some technical difficulties. But you can still see the TouchFlo action, which is the point.

Press release:

FIRST HIGH SPEED WIRELESS DEVICE TO OFFER FULL, INTUITIVE TOUCH SCREEN TECHNOLOGY EFFORTLESSLY BALANCES WORK AND PLAY

With an easy finger swipe, Touch by HTC™, exclusively from Sprint, offers both business and personal essentials with an easy-to-use interface

Available November 4; Sign up to be first in line at www.sprint.com/touch

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. and BELLEVUE, Wash. - October 17, 2007 - Combining a dynamic touch screen experience with industry-leading network speeds, Sprint (NYSE: S) and HTC Corp. (TAIEX: 2498; "HTC"), today announced the upcoming availability of Touch by HTC™, a full touch screen wireless phone integrating Windows Mobile 6 with advanced entertainment features. Operating on the Sprint Mobile Broadband network, the stylish Touch by HTC brings together email and other essential business applications with Sprint's exclusive multimedia content including over-the-air music downloads, live TV and more.

With a nearly 3-inch display, Touch by HTC features integrated TouchFLO technology, developed by HTC, leveraging smooth navigation through menus with a finger swipe. In addition, the innovative TouchFLO cube brings a 3D cube interface allowing quick access to entertainment, communication tools and a "Dial-by-picture" photo caller ID screen.

Touch by HTC leverages the broad functionality of Windows Mobile 6 with Outlook Mobile for smooth email integration, Office Mobile, Windows Live and the ability to run thousands of third-party applications. It also allows users to surf the web with Internet Explorer®, send and receive emails, chat on Messenger and send files to their own web space through Windows Live®. The home screen provides one-touch access to email, text messages, calendar appointments and contacts, as well as current weather conditions and forecasts for hundreds of cities around the world.

Versatile and compact, Touch by HTC provides quick and easy access to Sprint-exclusive content, including:
Sprint Music StoreSM, powered by Groove Mobile, which allows users to browse and wirelessly download full-length songs directly to their phone from a selection of more than 1.8 million songs
Sprint Exclusive Entertainment (SEE), the industry's only made-for-mobile sports and entertainment video programming network
Sprint TVSM with more than 50 channels of live and on-demand video and audio.
More than a dozen streaming radio stations , including Sprint Radio and SIRIUS
On-Demand with up-to-date information on sports, weather, news, money and more customized by zip code.
(Standard data charges apply to all downloads from Sprint.)

"Our customers appreciate the ability to have one device that seamlessly balances both personal needs and business demands," said Danny Bowman, vice president of product development for Sprint. "Touch by HTC is unlike any other wireless device because it brings together the power of Windows Mobile with easy access to our entertainment applications. This attractive device easily lets you watch news as it happens, respond to email, download your favorite songs and stay connected with the office, family and friends."

"This device provides a broad set of consumers with the benefits of a smartphone with the style and ease of use they demand," said Peter Chou, chief executive officer of HTC. "Touch by HTC presents a new, more intuitive touch experience that simplifies access to the most commonly used smartphone features such as dialing, messaging and Web browsing. It also improves the video and music experience with the addition of Sprint TV and the Sprint Music Store."

"People want an easy-to-use companion in a mobile phone, freeing them up to leave the office or home and get more done while on-the-go," said Pieter Knook, senior vice president, Mobile Communications Business, Microsoft Corp." The Sprint Touch is the result of the strong relationship between Microsoft, HTC and Sprint and offers customers a fun user experience, the power of Sprint's network and the ease-of-use of Windows Mobile which makes it easy to browse the Web, send email or enjoy your digital entertainment."

Touch by HTC offers MicroSD card slot that supports up to 4GB - a 512MB card is included with the device. Additional features include a 2.0 MP camera/camcorder with up to 5X zoom, advanced stereo Bluetooth® and Voice-activated dialing.

Touch by HTC measures 4.0" x 2.4" x 0.6" and weighs just 4 ounces. This device will be priced at $249.99 with a two-year subscriber agreement and a $100 mail-in rebate. Standard data rates apply for music and other content downloads.

Touch by HTC will be available on November 4 in all Sprint channels including www.Sprint.com and 1-800-SPRINT1. Customers can register to be among the first to purchase Touch by HTC at www.sprint.com/touch.

Customers purchasing Touch by HTC as a replacement for an existing mobile phone are encouraged to donate their current phone, battery and accessories to Sprint Project Connect. Donated equipment, regardless of make, model or service provider, will be recycled in an environmentally friendly manner or refurbished and resold. All net proceeds from Sprint Project Connect help to keep kids safe online through Sprint's 4NetSafety program in partnership with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the NEA Health Information Network, and others. More information, including a prepaid mailing label, can be found at www.sprint.com/projectconnect.

Review [Gizmodo]

Taiwan [Unwired View]

US [Unwired View]

First, let's get the question everyone's asking out of the way. No, this is not an iPhone killer. It's not even close to being an iPhone killer. The TouchFLO app—which is the majority of where your touching is going to take place—is just a fancy launcher app on top of the Today street. Once you get past there and into the meat of Windows Mobile 6, there's not much touching to be had. And if you hate Windows Mobile, you'll still hate Windows Mobile.

That's not to say this isn't a step in the right direction.

This is how TouchFLO works: You can swipe your thumb (or any other finger) from the bottom of the screen toward the top in any phone to activate TouchFLO. Doing so actually takes a bit of pressure on the phone, as if you were pushing down with a stylus. Once you get it working, the TouchFLO app pops up.

You now have three screens you can swipe left-to-right or right-to-left to transition between. The effect is pretty much identical to Apple's Fast User Switching cube effect—though since this has only three screens, is more of a triangle than a cube. Each screen is essentially a bunch of shortcuts to the apps most commonly used on Windows Mobile, and serves as an improved launchpad over the Today screen or the start menu. There's email, SMS, IE, task list, Comm Manager, calendar, music, photos, video, call lists, contacts and even a Brady Bunch-style board with your nine favorite contacts.

So where does the touch come in? That was it. Swiping up to launch TouchFLO, swiping down to release it, and swiping left and right to transition between screens. There's also the large buttons that you can use your fingers to press, and the fact that you can scroll around in some apps with your fingers now as well. You can see why this isn't a real competitor to the iPhone.

And underneath all this touchy exterior, you still have the same old Windows Mobile 6. Once you get past the launcher and into the apps, if you hate WM6 you're still going to hate WM6. This is really the most important note. If you can't stand Windows Mobile, the Touch isn't going to change your mind. The specs of a 201MHz OMAP 850 processor, 128MB ROM, 64MB RAM, quad-band GSM, EDGE, and Wi-Fi have been seen in many other HTC phones like the Wing, and won't wow you in the realm of performance. But it gets the job done.

What is notable about this phone is the form factor. It's half as thick as the 8525 or the T-Mobile MDA, but still contains touchscreen and runs Windows Mobile 6 professional. The only thing missing is the slide-out keyboard, which makes this phone less a messaging and emailing device and more a read-only organizer. Boy, do we miss that keyboard.

But the Touch does have the rubbery texture found on both the T-Mobile Wing and the T-Mobile Dash, which still feels great. It's essentially a Dash if it ran WM6 Professional instead of WM6 Gimped, and you made the screen bigger and took out almost all the buttons save for call and end, a volume switch, the camera, the D-pad, camera and the on/off switch.

The call quality (including speakerphone) was excellent, just like it is all HTC phones we've used recently. The screen is flush with the rest of the phone, which is nice, and feels a bit harder to press than other HTC phones. That's probably due to the fact that you're going to be jamming your thumb into it for TouchFLO.

So in the end, what does the Touch bring to the table? A fancy launcher, somewhat usable touchscreen features, fancy graphics and even a revised home screen with a large clock, weather and another launcher. Do you need to buy an entirely new phone to get this? No, there are similar launchers on the market now, but none with the TouchFLO technology. But do you need to buy this phone if you want the thinnest Windows Mobile 6 Professional phone available? Yes.

It's available now in the UK, and will be coming to the US later this year. – Jason Chen

Product Page [HTC Touch]

• Tracy and Matt have a video up as well. I think it was Matt this time.
• Shiny Shiny has an interview with HTC's Wang.
• Unwired view has some videos of the phone. Site's loading a bit slow though.
• Crave has some photos.
• Finally, HTC has an online demo of the UI.

– Jason Chen