It's big ... The HD2 is the latest Windows Mobile handset from HTC. The first thing that strikes you about this smart phone is its sheer size. It measures 4.74 inches long by 2.64 inches wide and the WVGA screen is immense.
This handset dwarves its direct competitors, including the iPhone, and still manages to be quite slim at .43 inches thick.
The HD2 look
The HTC HD2 is also pretty well designed: it resembles the monolith in 2001: A Space Odyssey but with a 5-megapixel camera, built in GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and all the smart-phone accoutrements. The combination of dark grey metal and dark grey plastic with metallic flecks makes for a classy and expensive-looking product that will induce feelings of envy in others.
While the HD2 runs on the latest Windows Mobile 6.5, the first thing you'll notice about it is HTC's own user interface. The Sense UI dominates your experience of this particular smart phone. You could almost forget that this is running on Windows at all.
HTC's Sense
The combination of a huge, bright touchscreen and the Sense interface is great. The weather application alone is fun to use with its constantly updated and animated forecast.
Navigation is easy: you can slide between a few different panels on the homescreen and customise each one.
If you prefer to see the Windows Mobile interface, there is a dedicated button that reveals this but most users will probably forgo this option.
Lack of apps on Marketplace
The only drawback to the HD2 is the current lack of applications. Windows Marketplace is under stocked and the app fanatic will get bored easily but there are Facebook and Twitter apps and most likely, with the release of Windows Mobile 7, there will be plenty more.
All in all, the HTC HD2 is a pleasant alternative to the Android or iPhone smart phone and in my opinion the best and most attractive Windows phone to date.
