AT&T has started to receive HTC’s new touch device the Pure. I had a chance to spend a short amount of time with the HTC Pure this weekend, here are my observations.
The Pure may be the first Windows Mobile 6.5 device that brings mass appeal to what at best is a finicky touch screen market. To qualify that I will simply just say that I have been sorely disappointed with previous Windows Mobile touch screen devices on the market. To be fare I didn’t know I was disappointed until I picked up an iPhone last year; yes I was late to the iParty. Until then I was a blissfully happy schmuck with my HTC Fuze. What the iPhone had that made it superior was its capacitive touch screen; the HTC had a traditional resistive touch.
The HTC Pure still has a resistive touch screen however the response and feel are smooth and crisp. HTC includes a stylus for serious detailed on screen work, something an iPhone lacks being a capacitive touch screen. That said I think both devices have their own niche to fill even if they overlap in features.
While I only had a short time to preview the device I was impressed with the unit’s size. It was slim and comfortable in the hand sporting a very light weight frame. Haptic feedback was a nice surprise as well providing reassuring vibration feedback. The 5 megapixel camera adds some interesting options as a convergence device especially when you consider the the WiFi and GPS. I guess I will wait and see if the new application Marketplace will feature apps to take advantage of these powerful features.
Here is a picture taken with the 5 megapixel camera, click photo to be able to select other sizes:
All is not honey and milk with the HTC Pure however. The screen has a certain glossy look that only a plastic screen can produce. A matte screen protector might be able to reduce this. The missteps do not end there however; HTC seems married to the idea that a dedicated headphone jack is the devils playground. They have yet again implemented that USB to headphone adapter nonsense found in the Fuze and other HTC wares. I shouldn’t complain too much, at least they use mini USB and not some proprietary plug like Samsung devices.
All gripes aside, I think HTC has a solid product in their new Pure Smartphone featuring WinMo 6.5. If you’re looking for something that is a bit more of a workhorse hang tight for the HTC Tilt 2. Only time will tell if the new Marketplace for Windows Mobile will bring these devices in to a cohesive application ecosystem of simplicity and usability.
—Bill Landon
Support page for AT&T: http://www.wireless.att.com/support/setDevice.do?make=HTC&model=PURE%20(ST6356)
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