The good folks over at Telus Mobility have just dropped a shiny new HTC Touch Pro2 on my front door, so I’ll be giving it a long-term evaluation from now through the summer. I must say… I like!

After the inglorious end of my Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 last week I was a little hesitant to try another slider, but this HTC is built like a brick house and feels like it might last me long enough to send it back to Telus in one piece.

Beyond the really solid build, the specs are nice and my initial impression is very favourable: I like the TouchFlo interface (first time I’ve used it extensively), the big, bright 3.6” touch screen is beautiful, the camera is nice, and most importantly for a slider phone: the keyboard is great! The keys are huge and spaced apart, with just the right tactile feel, and you can get at almost any character you would ever need without going into a symbols menu.

Anyway, a solid thanks to Telus for the new toy, and I’ll keep everyone posted on my thoughts!

HTC is currently cooperating with a number of carriers in Europe, including T-Mobile, Orange and Vodafone, to promote the sales of HTC HD2 and demand from those carriers is outpacing supply, Chou indicated.

Digitimes and HTCPedia read this as evidence that WinMo 6.5 is helping to sell devices, but you’ve got to wonder: HTC makes excellent quality devices, has completely replaced the Windows Mobile interface with TouchFlo, TouchFlo 3D, and now Sense and just re-branded themselves and launched a new, expanded marketing campaign… so is this demand for their devices thanks to Windows Mobile 6.5 or in spite of it?

Anyone care to hazard a guess?

Peter Chou (CEO of HTC) and Steve Ballmer held a joint conference today in Taiwan to officially announce one of the most highly anticipated Windows Phones so far: the HTC HD2. Much has been leaked and learned already about the HD2’s powerful 1Ghz processor, it’s massive 4.3″ capacitive WVGA touchscreen, and that it will be the first HTC Windows Phone to sport Sense instead of TouchFlo, but this announcement makes it official:

The HTC HD2 shows what’s possible through our close partnership with HTC and it breaks new ground for Windows phones by delivering a beautiful multi-touch screen that people will love.

So says Mr. Ballmer. The full press release (after the jump) says the HTC HD2 is now shipping in Asia and will be shipping to North America in “early 2010″. Honestly, I can’t wait to get my hands on one of these!

HTC HD2^TM SHIPS IN EUROPE AND ASIA
COMING TO THE US IN EARLY 2010

HD2 demonstrates the tight integration between Microsoft and HTC

TAOYUAN, Taiwan – November 4, 2009 – Today, HTC Corporation chief executive officer, Peter Chou, joined Microsoft Corp. chief executive officer, Steve Ballmer and Harvey Chang, chief executive officer of Taiwan Mobile to announce the availability of the highly anticipated HD2 in Europe and Taiwan. HTC and Microsoft also announced that the HD2 would be available in the United States with a major US carrier in early 2010.

“The HD2’s amazing customer experience is a testament to the close partnership between HTC and Microsoft and we’re excited to be bringing the HD2 to Taiwan and the United States,” said Chou. “The HD2 is the first Windows® phone with HTC Sense^TM, an HTC user experience focused on making the phone more simple and natural to use and by enabling people to personalise their mobile experience in their own unique way.”

“Working with HTC, we’ve delivered great phones that help customers connect to the people and information they care about, wherever they are,” said Ballmer. “The HTC HD2 shows what’s possible through our close partnership with HTC and it breaks new ground for Windows phones by delivering a beautiful multi-touch screen that people will love.”

The HD2 is the first Windows phone with HTC Sense, a customer experience focused on putting people at the centre by making their phones work in a more simple, natural and personal way. With its industry leading, high-resolution, 4.3-inch capacitive touch display, the ultra thin HTC HD2 delivers more visible content in a sharper, brighter and richer way.

The HD2 uses the first capacitive touch display on a Windows phone to make viewing, zooming and resizing websites, Microsoft Office files, PDF documents and pictures easier with just a pinch of your fingers. The large display also enables faster, more efficient and accurate typing using the onscreen keyboard. Utilizing Qualcomm’s new 1Ghz Snapdragon mobile processor, the HTC HD2 offers enhanced performance that improves the speed of applications, videos, games and more.
Developed with a passion for enhancing people’s lives through innovation, design and ease of use, HTC Sense is rooted in three fundamental principles of Make it Mine, Stay Close and Discover the Unexpected.

Make It Mine
The HD2 continues HTC’s drive for personalization by reflecting not only what you want on your phone, but also where you are. Using its large 4.3-inch window-like display, HTC has brought a new dimension to weather with a localized, animated weather experience that utilizes HD2’s entire display without being invasive to your important content and information. The HD2 can also be further enhanced to reflect your needs and style by downloading a wealth of applications at the new Windows Marketplace for Mobile.

Stay Close
The HD2 helps you stay close to the important friends and colleagues in your life with HTC’s people-centric communication approach that provides a single contact view that displays individual communication snapshots of your conversations with the people in your life regardless of whether a call, text, Facebook status update or email were used. While in the midst of email exchange with someone you can easily transition to a call by pressing the call button. HTC has also included a new Windows-based version of its Twitter application, HTC Peep. The pictures you take with the 5MP camera can also be quickly shared via Facebook or Twitter.

Discover the Unexpected
With the HTC Sense experience, the HTC HD2 includes a variety of enhancements that expand and improve the overall phone experience. The HD2 includes a variety of sensors including a proximity sensor that is used to prevent false screen touches when the phone is picked up to answer or make a call. A light sensor automatically adjusts the brightness of the display. Leveraging its 3G broadband connectivity, the HTC HD2 also offers personal Wi-Fi anywhere for your computer or other devices.

Also available for the HTC HD2 is the optional car kit that automatically transforms HD2’s user interface into a finger friendly in-car navigation experience for driving.

Windows phone
As a new Windows phone, the HTC HD2 showcases the powerful messaging, browsing and productivity capabilities delivered by Windows Mobile 6.5. Offering a best in class e-mail experience complete with the ability to synchronize with Microsoft Exchange, you have the ability to check and manage multiple email accounts. Microsoft’s new My Phone service enables you to automatically back up and synch photos, music, contacts and text messages for free from the HD2 to the web.

Availability
Already shipping in Europe, the HTC HD2 is available around the middle of November with Taiwan Mobile and will be available throughout Asia in the coming month. The HD2 will be available with a major carrier in the US in early 2010.

About HTC
HTC Corporation (HTC) is one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile phone industry. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC creates innovative smartphones that better serve the lives and needs of individuals. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. For more information about HTC, please visit www.htc.com

# # #
The names of companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Spb Mobile Shell v.3 users can upgrade for free here, or you can download or buy a copy of Spb Mobile Shell over here at Mobihand.

Perhaps just as interestingly, Spb has announced several OEM deals with big Chinese companies, specifically ZTE, Huawei and the biggest China-based OEM K-Touch. SPB also announced signing of a significant agreement with MediaTek, a leading fabless semiconductor company for wireless communications and digital multimedia solutions.

Sebastian-Justus Schmidt, CEO of SPB Software says: “This version clearly shows where SPB Software is going. We are on the way to make it even more flexible for user personalization, as well as being a great partner for phone manufacturers and mobile operators. The fast changing market needs the right user interface with great flexibility in customization. And we are well prepared for the demand.”

This is a great strategy for Spb. Much like HTC is taking charge of it’s own Windows Mobile destiny with TouchFlo (and soon the new Windows Mobile version of Sense), Spb can stake out it’s territory by partnering with OEM manufacturers and others. Looking forward to seeing where this leads!

Read the full press release from Spb Software house here.

Finally, Rogers has released the HTC Touch Diamond for the sweet, sweet price of $199.99 on a 3 year contract. Of course, that’s with a mandatory ’sign up’ of a min. $45 data/voice plan, but we expected that.

Other pricing options include: 3 year contract (voice only) for $449.99, 3 year contract (data only) $499.99, 2 year contract for $549.99, 1 year contract for $549.99, and month to month for $599.99. The Rogers HTC Touch Diamond is actually cut like a diamond on the back as the original HTC Touch Diamond. Bell and Telus’ versions seem to be lacking the cool, textured back.

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Key features of the Rogers HTC Touch Diamond:

• TouchFLO 3D interface
• HSPA/Edge/Wi-Fi
• Windows Media Player
• 3.2 MP camera with flash, auto focus and video
• Built-in GPS
• 4GB of internal memory
• Weighs 110 grams
• 2.8 inch (640 x 480) VGA display
• Runs on Windows Mobile 6.1 Pro

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Alltel has jumped on the bandwagon and added the HTC Touch Pro to their smartphone line up. The popular device is going for $279.99 (on contract, of course) with a $100 rebate.

Not many differences with this version but a tweak to the TouchFLO 3D UI from the carrier.

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WMExperts have put the Palm Treo Pro up against the AT&T Fuze to see who comes out the champion and it looks like the AT&T Fuze won by the mere skin of its teeth, as the saying goes.

So, how do these two devices measure up to each other?

Here’s the breakdown of their specs:

Treo Pro

Physically bigger but lighter in weight, dedicated buttons for WiFi and speaker deactivation, micro-USB port, 3.5mm headphone jack, unlocked (no branded software), Sprite Backup, Mobile Office and QuickGPS, Pocket IE, power on via button hit, attract fingerprints both on the casing and the screen, front facing keyboard, $450-500.

AT&T Fuze

Mini-USB port, mute via volume keys which prompts on screen UI settings, hand strap hole, proprietary headphone adapter, branded software, Sprite Backup, Mobile Office and QuickGPS, Pocket IE and Opera, IM application (Yahoo, AIM, MSN), TouchFLO, power on via power only, Attract fingerprints both on the casing and the screen, slide out keyboard, $499.

Verdict

WMExperts says it really comes down to personal preference for them – full keyboard, smaller foot print, larger screen, and a slightly faster processor.
But we all agree, both devices really rock the Windows Mobile scene right now. You can’t go wrong with either!

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The good folks over at XDA-Developers have created a hack that brings full TouchFLO 3D capabilities to the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1! TouchFLO 3D on the Xperia means a more finger-friendly UI, YouTube usability and a ton of other awesome enhancements.

If you’re an Xperia user, I suggest heading over to the XDA-Developers thread now and downloading this for yourself!

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This video from WMExperts showcasing the Sprint Touch Pro looks awesome, but is it really?

According to a forum thread over at XDA Developers, there are some major gripes about Sprint’s much hyped Touch Pro.

Biggest complaints?

• Not being able to change the text colour in TouchFLO 3D
• The keyboard backlight is permanently set to stay on for 7 seconds
• Problems with the stock IME not working
• Battery life – “2 hours on the phone, 10 minutes of surfing and a youtube video and I’m done…“
• D-pad is not as responsive as other HTC models
• Scroll function isn’t automatically enabled in many applications

So, readers – are any of you Sprint Touch Pro users having any issues? I’d love to hear about them. Let’s add to the list! (Or, hey, take away from it – I’d much rather hear that it’s worthwhile. I love the Touch Pro!)

phoneArena has just let me in on some late-breaking news given to them by an anonymous tipster about the HTC Touch Pro, Saga (CDMA version of the Epix), and Renown.

Looks like the Samsung Saga I770 (CDMA version of the Epix) can be ordered via the Internet and Telesales on Nov 14th for $199 with a 2-year contract (after $70 rebate). It features Dual-band CDMA, EVDO Rev A, Quad-band GSM, WiFi 802.11g/b, Windows Mobile 6.1 Pro, Office, Opera and IE Mobile, Bluetooth, 2.55″ 320×320 pixel display, 2MP camera, microSDHC support up to 16GB, and comes with a SIM card pre-installed. Included in the box are adapters for use with the wall charger in other countries. Hint hint. :)

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Secondly we have the Samsung Renown SCH-U810 flip phone, with an Internet and Telesales release date of Nov 19th (in-stores Dec 1st) and a 2-year price of $179 (after $50 rebate). It is also Dual-band CDMA and Quad-band GSM capable, but lacks EVDO Rev A and WiFi. Other features include a 2MP camera, Bluetooth, QVGA display, microSDHC support up to 8GB, and comes with a SIM card pre-installed.

And last, but certainly not least, we have my personal favourite – the HTC Touch Pro. The Touch Pro is scheduled for Internet and Telesales release on Nov 24th and in-stores on Dec 1st, with a 2-year contract price of $349 (after $70 rebate). Features include Dual-band CDMA with EVDO Rev A, WiFi 802.11b/g, Windows Mobile 6.1 Pro, Office, Opera Mobile, 2.8″ VGA touch-sensitive display, TouchFLO 3D navigation, slide-out QWERTY keyboard, 3.2MP camera with autofocus and flash, and supports microSDHC cards up to 16GB.

(Click through the gallery images to see documentation in full size)