Introduction
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The Touch Diamond is HTC's keyboard-free follow-up to the Touch and predecessor to the Touch HD. I think the Diamond represents a sort of standard for the product line; a package of features we can expect to see refined and built upon, rather than revolutionized, as the Diamond did with the features of the original Touch. It embodies some truly original concepts in design. This is not a teenager's messaging phone, or a boring work device, or a limper into the touch screen game; it is status gear, and will satisfy the technical urges of the most discerning consumer who lusts after elite tech booty. Still, the friendly interface and sensational design will attract a broad range of users. Media hounds may balk at the inability to increase their storage via SDHC media, but with 4 Gigs of internal space, the average person's on-the-go video and picture collection will fit comfortably. HTC's use of a proprietary USB interface, rather than the standard, 3.5 mm headphone jack, is another possible detractor for A/V fiends.
In the race to build the most beautiful phone in the touchscreen market, I see a strong contender in the Diamond. The hardware is advanced and high-quality tech. The most prominent problems I've encountered during my time with the Diamond were: a matter of the software's inability to properly utilize the orientation and feedback hardware inside; conflict and some lack of integration between Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional and HTC's TouchFLO 3D interface; and the nearly abject neglect of landscape QWERTY mode(!).
Targeted at an affluent, but otherwise mainstream audience, the phone may lack some media-friendly options. Its niche is the simplification of the smart phone for the masses, wrapping it up in a breath-taking package. Sprint's contract-based offering prices their model for the people, as unlocked versions aren't cheap. The HTC Touch Diamond is a sensationally gorgeous phone, but its beauty is not strictly superficial; despite a few minor (and software update correctable) short-comings, there's still plenty to admire behind the curtain.
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