MWC – HTC Touch Diamond2 Announced. Oh boy, this is good.

On May 6th 2008 HTC announced the original HTC Touch Diamond which a collosal press event in London. Today, just a few months later, the HTC Touch Diamond2 is here. As expected it’s the HTC Topaz we spotted in the leak last month and is powered by Windows Mobile 6.1 Pro. It has a very tasty spec sheet which includes quad-band GSM / GPRS / EDGE / 3G / HSPA connectivity with WiFi and GPS. The G-sensor is back, so you can rotate the handset to spin the screen, as is the FM radio and Bluetooth. What is new is the 5 megapixel auto-focus camera and a better screen – a 3.2″ 480×800 WVGA with a brilliant touch sensitive zoom bar at the bottom. This zoom bar gives faster zooming of Web pages, emails, text messages, photos or documents. You also get external storage with a microSD (HC) slot – the original had only 4GB on-board – plus there’s a bigger 1100mAh battery which offers fifty-percent better battery life.


So, with a long-life battery and microSD it’s gotta be fat.. right? No way. This is just 13.7mm thick. There’s also other advances, including a HTC “Push Internet” technology which promises to make browsing the internet quicker and more enjoyable. There’s no more slow downloading and rendering of pages, just select your favourite Website and it will immediately display.



The familiar 528Mhz Qualcomm MSM7201A CPU powers the unit and the design is just as stunning as the original Touch Diamond. The keys are arranged at the bottom of the screen in a similar style to the Touch HD. Inside HTC TouchFLO 3D is now more deeply integrated into Windows Mobile and the bigger screen makes using it even easier.


To be honest, this fixes any of the little grumbles we had with the original Diamond. I can’t wait to get hold of this one, it looks stunning. The HTC Touch Diamond2 will be hitting European and Asian markets in early Q2 2009 with broader global availability coming later in the year. Read on for the press release and a larger picture. You can also get updates on availability with the link below.

Links – htc.com – Register your interest

New phones simplify information access with HTC Push Internet and unify personal communication with single-view contact integration



BARCELONA — Feb 16, 2009 — HTC Corporation, a global designer of mobile phones, today unveiled two new flagship devices, the HTC Touch Diamond2 and HTC Touch Pro2. Integrating innovative simplicity with unique style and an intuitive interface, the devices balance function, form and cutting-edge technology to personalize the communication and mobile Internet experience.



“The HTC Touch Pro2 and HTC Touch Diamond2 introduce a mobile communication experience that simplifies how we communicate with people in our lives whether through voice, text or email,” said Peter Chou, president and CEO, HTC Corp. “HTC is delivering the latest, cutting-edge sophistication in a broad portfolio of mobile phones that improve how people live, work and communicate.”



HTC TOUCHFLO 3D INTEGRATED WITH WINDOWS MOBILE

The HTC Touch Diamond2 and HTC Touch Pro2 utilize HTC’s latest TouchFLO 3D interface. TouchFLO 3D has been more deeply integrated into a customized version of Windows Mobile 6.1 to deliver more consistency throughout Windows Mobile applications and menus. Focused on making navigation easier and more intuitive, TouchFLO 3D brings important information to the top-level user interface, including quick access to people, messaging, email, photos, music and weather. As part of this improved Windows Mobile integration the touch focus areas have been enlarged to be more finger-touch friendly.



BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER

With the HTC Touch Diamond2 and HTC Touch Pro2, HTC is introducing a new people-centric communication approach, providing a single contact view that displays the individual conversation history of contacts regardless of whether voice, text or email were used. This can be viewed from the contact card or the in-call screen during a phone conversation, ensuring the latest communication contact-by-contact is always at hand.



SIMPLIFYING HOW PEOPLE ACCESS THEIR INFORMATION
Continuing its commitment to making the mobile Internet easier and more enjoyable, the HTC Touch Diamond2 and HTC Touch Pro2 introduce HTC’s Push Internet technology. HTC Push Internet alleviates slow downloading and rendering of Web pages on a mobile phone. Users can preselect their favorite Websites to get immediate access to them when needed.



HTC TOUCH DIAMOND2

The HTC Touch Diamond2 is the next step in the evolution of the successful HTC Touch Diamond. Crafted to fit perfectly into the hand, the Touch Diamond2 evolves the compact design and iconic style of the original HTC Touch Diamond. It incorporates a larger 3.2-inch high-resolution wide-screen VGA display for a greater viewing area in a design just 13.7mm thick. The phone also includes a new touch sensitive zoom bar for even faster zooming of Web pages, emails, text messages, photos or documents.

Leveraging HTC’s TouchFLO 3D experience combined with a people-centric communication approach and HTC’s new Push Internet technology The Touch Diamond2 offers an advanced touch experience that is optimized for one-hand use.



With fifty-percent better battery life, a five mega-pixel auto focus camera, expandable memory, gravity sensor and an ambient light sensor, the Touch Diamond2 brings the most sophisticated capabilities to a broad consumer audience looking for the professional benefits of a smartphone without sacrificing size, looks or functionality.



HTC TOUCH PRO2

Designed for business professionals, the HTC Touch Pro2 is architected with distinct style and strength while delivering the most powerful productivity experience available on a mobile phone. Leveraging HTC’s TouchFLO 3D, people-centric communication and Push Internet technology, the Touch Pro2 features a high-resolution 3.6-inch widescreen VGA display for an expanded viewing area and large finger-friendly QWERTY keyboard. With improved battery life, expandable memory, a touch-sensitive zoom bar as well as gravity, proximity and ambient light sensors, the Touch Pro2 is optimized for touch as well as heavy email use.



INTRODUCING HTC STRAIGHT TALK FOR HTC TOUCH PRO2

The new HTC Touch Pro2 leverages voice in a new way to create one of the most sophisticated communication experiences found on a mobile phone. HTC’s new Straight Talk technology delivers an integrated email, voice and speakerphone experience. Users can transition seamlessly from email to single or multi-party conference calls and turn any location into a conference room.



In addition to the new simplified calling experience, Straight Talk includes an innovative mechanical and acoustic design that features a sophisticated speakerphone experience similar to those found in corporate boardrooms. Straight Talk delivers a high-fidelity voice and sound experience enhanced by asymmetric speakers and advanced noise suppression with full duplex acoustics. When the Touch Pro2 is flipped over it automatically turns into a conference room speakerphone system.



Availability

The HTC Touch Diamond2 will be available to customers across major European and Asian markets in early Q2 2009 with broader global availability coming later in the year. The Touch Pro2 will be available across major global markets beginning in early summer.