Camera Phones Plaza

I will start directly with the conclusion, for those who already know the phone and just want to know my opinion. Yes, HTC Diamond2 is at least as good as the Touch HD. It has the same hardware specifications, is smaller but seems well built and has a more improved version of the TouchFlo 3D interface, under which Windows Mobile 6.1 no longer seems like a pain, and the few disadvantages (pointed below) are minor.

As HTC Diamond2 is cheaper than a HD, I recommend it to all 'ordinary' smartphone users. The HD (or Touch Pro 2) does not justify the extra money unless you use the mobile phone mainly for internet surfing and writing emails, because a larger screen means more text that is readable and a virtual keyboard with bigger buttons. In addition, for those who listen to music from their mobile, I recommend the HD because it has a standard 3.5 mm jack and can use any headphones, while the HTC Diamond2 uses only the included headphones (which are horrible) or you must buy an adapter from USB to 3.5 mm audio jack. Touch HD comes with an 8 GB microSD card, while Diamond2 does not come with a memory card.

The pack no longer has something special. While the first HTC Diamond came in an elegant box, shaped as a pyramid base, HTC Diamond2 has a standard box, with two compartments. In the small one, we find the books and the CDs, and in the bigger one, we find the phone, the charger, a spare stylus and the handsfree headphones. You will hurt your ears after the first minute of radio listening with Diamond2's headphones, but unfortunately, there is no other solution. As it was not enough, the package does not contain a memory card or any phone cover (HD includes both), so they must be purchased separately.

The 3.2-inch screen is surrounded by a dark gray metal frame, which makes the phone look better. It is a major improvement over the first Diamond, who was frail, and even over the HD, because it seems more solid and the volume and power buttons are easier to press. The 4 buttons at the bottom can be found very easily with your finger on a dark environment and can be press smoothly because they are illuminated. Above them, there is a touch-sensitive area with the role of a "zoom slider". A feature that is missing completely from the HD, and on the first Diamond it was the wheel that had this role. The function is very useful in the browser or in the photo album, where you can zoom quickly and effectively when necessary. In addition, the LED is big and placed near the speakerphone. When you have a missed call or another notification, the LED lights powerfully. This is unlike HD, where the LED is very small and included in the power button.

In the communication chapter, the sound quality is very good during calls. It is a subjective impression confirmed by several tests and then seen on other sites, where Diamond2 is coming out in the top at this chapter. In the network chapter, Diamond2's Wi-Fi is weaker than HD's Wi-Fi Monster. When it comes to 3G, the phone successfully detects networks, usually even on HSDPA.

The 5 megapixel camera is better compared to the 3.2 MP that HTC Diamond has, but it is exactly like the camera we find on HTC HD. It takes photos at a resolution of 2592 x 1944 pixels. HTC Diamond2's camera quality is good only outside when both the photographer and the subject are not moving. Otherwise you need a steady hand and do not expect miracles. Unfortunately, there is no flash of any kind. The phone can film at a VGA resolution of 640 × 480 pixels, but at only 15 frames per second, which is a big disappointment, especially since there are already mobile phones making videos at a resolution of 1280 × 720 and 30 frames per second.

The battery is not brilliant. It has a bigger capacity than the one we find on Diamond, but the consumption is bigger too, because of the increased screen size and the increased resolution.

The TouchFlo 3D interface, which helps HTC to hide the normal menu (boring and difficult to use with your finger) from Windows Mobile is much enhanced in the generation from which Diamond2 and Touch Pro 2 belong. The first edition of "3D" appeared on the first Diamond, then it was upgraded on HTC HD with multiple menus, and now it has reached version 2, which is slightly more complex and with a lot of new things. I never found delays in the execution of a command and in displaying a new menu or "glitches" as it happens in other versions.

HTC has put a better keyboard for finger pressing, having a similar form to the one found on a computer.

I will repeat my conclusion: I would buy HTC Diamond2 instead of HD, since it is cheaper. I recommend it to those who have a normal mobile phone and want to make the transition to a smartphone. It is well done and you can do whatever you want with it.