I like the look of the HTC HD2 and it’s starting to lure me back to Windows Mobile. The device has a nice large screen, has a nice front-end UI (User Interface) and has been well designed by HTC. The problem is as I’ve already hinted, it has a nice front-end. HTC always do well at skinning a device and putting their TouchFLO now dubbed Sense UI onto the device, but unfortunately it’s just that.
I’ve been thinking long and hard what made me move from HTC devices running Windows Mobile to the iPhone because I’m always smitten with the look of the front-end UI from HTC. I realised that front-end UI wasn’t the be all and end all, and what I wanted from a device was connectivity, thousands of applications to choose from, the speed of the iPhone, being able to quickly use Twitter, Facebook and other mobile connected apps directly on the phone. To almost be connected 24/7 to the internet.
HTC is getting there, they now have Facebook and Twitter, the front-end UI is spectacular and I wish it was available on non-jail broken iPhones. However for me, what lies behind the front-end UI on the HTC HD2 is Windows. Don’t get me wrong I love Windows, I’m one of the few that use Vista on as many Laptops and Tablet PC’s that I can, but Windows on mobile devices is just so far behind now that it makes me cringe now when I see the old UI shine through.
Unfortunately HTC can only do as much as they can to mask this, and ultimately the applications like the small X button, start menu etc will still be there. The small text on screen with small combo boxes to select. Hopefully WM7 (Windows Mobile 7) will be much more richer and a completely new UI but I still think all the fundamental things that have always been there in Windows Mobile will still be there in WM7.
Also the other thing is the Touch UI is getting better on the HTC devices, but it’s still limited to the botch that’s been done in WM 6.1 and 6.5 where touch scrolling is still no where close to what you would see on an iPhone which is truly depressing.
So for me now although the HTC HD2 is luring me closer and closer by it’s stunning looks and front-end UI, I still can’t put the money down to buy one because I know I will be surely depressed from the shortcomings.
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