HTC has been developing successful smartphones for some time now. The HTC mobile phones always come equipped with Windows Mobile Software which makes them ideal for business applications, thanks to the excellent synchronization. At first, mobile phones produced by HTC were sold in a number of countries under various brand names, such as Qtek and Imate. However, since 2006 the last European countries have also adopted the name of the factory itself, HTC, in order to be recognizable worldwide and to establish a strong and recognizable brand. Furthermore, simlock devices are also being produced for the MDA series of T-mobile, among others, and earlier, the SPVs of Orange. 
HTC Diamond P3700 mobile phone From the package it is clear that HTC now more than ever aim at the design, with the P3700, better known as the HTC Touch Diamond, in order to conquer a larger crowd. The HTC Diamond is packaged in a box shaped like a pyramid, just like the back of the phone, which is completely covered with triangle shapes, referring to the shape of a diamond. Upon opening the package, a black hard plastic box is visible containing the handset, placed in a gap. Thought and effort have clearly also been invested into the design of this package, and both the device as well as its package carries the text: 'HTC Innovation'. The HTC Diamond is standard delivered with a charger, headset, two stylus pens, a data cable, manual and software.
Touchscreen of the HTC Diamond
The HTC Touch Diamond cell phone features a large full touchscreen, which should mainly be operated with the included stylus pens. The stylus pens, that used to get lost easily, are made magnetic for the Diamond, which ensures they are more likely to stay in the holder. The touchscreen itself works fine. With other HTC phones, you often had to press rather firmly in order to type something in, however, for this model it already works a lot better. The response should come a bit faster and smoother at times, though. It all works, although from this mobile phone, in combination with the TouchFLO 3D, you'd expect more.
HTC Diamond with Windows Mobile
The menu structure looks familiar thanks to the Windows Mobile operating system. On top, you find the starting bar with all the available functions. As we have also seen on the latest HTC phones, the HTC Diamond too has a TouchFLO menu, now called the TouchFLO 3D. The desktop will display a quick access button for the weather, captured pictures, contacts and SMS text messages. This TouchFLO application facilitates the use, since you can now find various functions a lot quicker, sometimes even without the use of the stylus pen, whilst the normal menu consists of small icons, which makes it harder to operate. As briefly mentioned before, not all is carried out smoothly. For example, if you scroll through the pictures with your fingers, the phone wavers slightly. This is a pity, since the TouchFLO is kind of neat from a graphical perspective, and loses some of its splendour this way.
Internet on the HTC Touch Diamond
HTC Touch digital camera
Connection with the computer
To be able to connect the HTC Diamond to the computer with the included data cable, you also need the ActiveSync software eventually. However, even without this software you can use the HTC Diamond to quickly transfer files, for as soon as you connect the data cable you are offered a choice between Diskdrive and ActiveSync. The ActiveSync software is renowned from other Windows Mobile devices and enables you to fully manage your phone. The software comes in especially handy for email and the agenda. Also backups and such can be made. Looking at it from a business point of view, this way of synchronization is an advantage, since there is no better synchronization imaginable than Windows Mobile - Windows.
HTC Touch standby time
HTC includes a 3.7V, 900mAh Lithium Ion battery with the Touch Diamond. This battery should offer a maximum standby time of 285 hours and a talk-time of over 5 hours. These are common specifications, however, a phone like this combined with all the functions it offers, requires recharging once every two or three days. And if you use the digital camera, Internet and the music player frequently, you may have to recharge the battery on a daily base. In that case I'd suggest purchasing a travel charger or a second battery together with the phone.
The Internet Explorer web browser enables surfing on the Internet. In combination with all the available connection possibilities, comprising Wi-Fi, GPRS and fast HSDPA, everybody will find something to his own taste, and with the right speed. The included stylus pen is necessary for surfing the Internet with the HTC Diamond. The buttons are rather small and if you operate this function with your fingers, you are bound to hit the wrong button frequently. The speed is excellent. Email is enabled by webmail and with the built-in Email software, which can be found under messaging at SMS. All data of the email account can be inserted to enable mobile access from that moment forward.
HTC Touch digital camera HTC has equipped the Diamond with a 3.2 megapixel digital camera with auto focus. This is reasonable as far as specifications are concerned, and definitely when comparing it with previous HTC models. However, you'd expect more from a device in this time and age. Every renowned manufacturer who wants to integrate serious mobile photography should add a camera with a minimum of 5 megapixels, in order not to make to make a fool of himself. The forecast is an 8 megapixel model crossing the counter by the end of this year. Activating the camera application is possible through the menu or through the quick access button at the TouchFLO photo viewer. This way it is not possible to start shooting immediately, also due to the some-what slow start-up time of the application.
HTC Diamond digital photography
Focussing with the camera phone
When the camera application is started, the screen fully serves as viewfinder. This is extremely pleasant, since it offers a clear view of what you are capturing. The viewfinder does not refresh that quickly as a result of which you will see annoying stripes on the screen when making a small movement. Upon taking a picture, the phone is slow in focussing and it also takes some time before the picture is actually captured. Even if you move the phone slightly after focussing, it still results in a blurred picture, very awkward!
When the camera application is started, the screen fully serves as viewfinder. This is extremely pleasant, since it offers a clear view of what you are capturing. The viewfinder does not refresh that quickly as a result of which you will see annoying stripes on the screen when making a small movement. Upon taking a picture, the phone is slow in focussing and it also takes some time before the picture is actually captured. Even if you move the phone slightly after focussing, it still results in a blurred picture, very awkward!
Image quality of the HTC Touch Diamond
If you want to capture snapshots on the spot, you will have to think of a strategy, or keep a compact camera at hand. The camera of this HTC doesn't have its way with light. If there is a tad too much light, the true colour reproduction fails. In particular the colour red is difficult to catch correctly. The dynamic range is rather poor and it costs a lot to keep everything presentable. If HTC want to take mobile photography seriously, they will have to pay some more attention to this.
Music, Videos and Photos
The HTC Diamond is very well suited to playing Music, Videos and viewing your captured pictures. The Media player looks quite similar to the well-known Windows Media player on a computer. It's easy to move the timeline and starting a song wherever you want. Video files can be played by simply pressing at the bottom of the monitor in the full-screen mode.
The HTC Diamond is very well suited to playing Music, Videos and viewing your captured pictures. The Media player looks quite similar to the well-known Windows Media player on a computer. It's easy to move the timeline and starting a song wherever you want. Video files can be played by simply pressing at the bottom of the monitor in the full-screen mode.
Viewing pictures
Viewing the pictures on the large screen is pleasant. Scrolling through the pictures is enabled by sliding your finger from edge to edge on the screen. It is not sufficiently smooth, just like is the case on the TouchFLO, although it is reasonable. Zooming in is enabled by sliding your fingers around the arrow buttons, like on the Apple iPods.
Viewing the pictures on the large screen is pleasant. Scrolling through the pictures is enabled by sliding your finger from edge to edge on the screen. It is not sufficiently smooth, just like is the case on the TouchFLO, although it is reasonable. Zooming in is enabled by sliding your fingers around the arrow buttons, like on the Apple iPods.
4GB internal phone memory
The HTC Touch Diamond has an internal memory of 4GB. There is no possibility of enhancing this memory but the 4GB available at purchase, offers the option of using your phone directly as media player. These 4GB of memory suffice for hundreds of pictures, tenths of CDs or a couple of movies.
The HTC Touch Diamond has an internal memory of 4GB. There is no possibility of enhancing this memory but the 4GB available at purchase, offers the option of using your phone directly as media player. These 4GB of memory suffice for hundreds of pictures, tenths of CDs or a couple of movies.
Connection with the computerTo be able to connect the HTC Diamond to the computer with the included data cable, you also need the ActiveSync software eventually. However, even without this software you can use the HTC Diamond to quickly transfer files, for as soon as you connect the data cable you are offered a choice between Diskdrive and ActiveSync. The ActiveSync software is renowned from other Windows Mobile devices and enables you to fully manage your phone. The software comes in especially handy for email and the agenda. Also backups and such can be made. Looking at it from a business point of view, this way of synchronization is an advantage, since there is no better synchronization imaginable than Windows Mobile - Windows.
Microsoft Office support
Thanks to the preinstalled Windows Mobile software on the HTC P3700 Diamond, more Microsoft products such as Office, are supported. Mobile versions of Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint are standard available. One great advantage of this HTC, compared to several other mobile phones, is the fact that it is not just a viewer that is available. You can edit your files with the HTC Diamond and send the edited file immediately through mail, without the need for a computer. PowerPoint presentations are displayed on full screen in landscape mode which even makes the text perfectly readable. Extremely handy to go through a presentation before arriving at your destination.
Thanks to the preinstalled Windows Mobile software on the HTC P3700 Diamond, more Microsoft products such as Office, are supported. Mobile versions of Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint are standard available. One great advantage of this HTC, compared to several other mobile phones, is the fact that it is not just a viewer that is available. You can edit your files with the HTC Diamond and send the edited file immediately through mail, without the need for a computer. PowerPoint presentations are displayed on full screen in landscape mode which even makes the text perfectly readable. Extremely handy to go through a presentation before arriving at your destination.
HTC Touch standby timeHTC includes a 3.7V, 900mAh Lithium Ion battery with the Touch Diamond. This battery should offer a maximum standby time of 285 hours and a talk-time of over 5 hours. These are common specifications, however, a phone like this combined with all the functions it offers, requires recharging once every two or three days. And if you use the digital camera, Internet and the music player frequently, you may have to recharge the battery on a daily base. In that case I'd suggest purchasing a travel charger or a second battery together with the phone.
