HTC Cruise, the review

Posted on March 8, 2008
Filed Under HTC Cruise review, Pictures, Videos, Windows Mobile

I have in hand the HTC Cruise. Been using it for a few weeks and its now time for a overview and review.

Some specifications of this phone.

1. Qualcomm MSM7200, 400MHz
2. 256mb, Ram 128mb
3. UMTS 850, 1900, 2100, Quad band Gsm. Also Hsdpa
4. Bluetoot, wifi and usb 2.0
4. 3mp camera on back with autofocus and 1mp on front
5. Mini sd slot
6. Gps

The video review.
The pictures review.

A little backround on this phone. This is pocket pc platform without a keyboard. Htc goal is to touch enable most of the Windows Mobile interface. Mostly is a good try, but Windows Mobile is just is not ready to be touch enabled. You have to wait for the next major release.

Htc uses its touch cube and touch enabled application to archive the touch interface, but without changing the Windows Mobile interface. The Htc cube is a quick launch application, where you can assign application and setup quick dial links.

The hardware has a great quality feel to it. Rubber back on the case and sides help in creating a non slip experience.

On the back is the standard camera and mirror, also a external antenna for the gps. On the front is a glossy screen and mirror finish around it.

On the bottom side of the phone and new arrangements of buttons, end call, home, shortcut to pocket IE and a shortcut to the gps application. Which in this case is TomTom. Which comes in the box. You get one free map, just a city of your choosing. In the middle of the buttons is a 4 way click dial. You can rotate the dial and press and click in any direction. In the middle of the dial button is also an action button.

On the left side is the volume slider, which is not a good design. You will have to use you nail to adjust the volume and there just not enough of a numb to make contact with your finger to raise or lower the volume. You millage may vary on that one. Next to that is the voice dial button. On the other side is the sd slot and below that the camera button.

How about the software you ask? This is running Windows Mobile 6 Professional. Which included the standard complement of Windows Mobile Applications. Check out the picture review of Windows mobile 6 installed on the HTC Cruise. This cover whats installed on the HTC Cruise.

Input on current touch devices is alway interesting these days with everyone trying to catch some of the iphone buzz. Htc take on that is interesting, but they did not take it far enough, relying somewhat on Windows Mobile to pick up. Thats were the problem begins. Windows Mobile 6 is not suited for a touch screen device. As such, the fat finger syndrome happens enough times to get frustrating. If your a pen user, then the Windows Mobile 6 interface is easy enough to use.

For keyboard input, Htc has two options that are built in, the Htc Touch Keypad and the Touch Keyboard.

Both are base on XT9, with auto complete and auto suggest, if that word is in its dictionary. You can add words while typing to build up that word base.

The speed of the device is slowed down by Windows mobile itself. Take a note and run a third party rom that has better memory tweaks then HTC does. Multitasking is good, but the Opera browser when running pretty much kills the phone performance overall. I tried to run Skype over wifi and the call quality has major echo issues, even after some tweaking. I suspect the shipped rom has wifi performance issues. The cpu does seem up to snuff for decent Skype performance.

The Gps is where this phone really shines. Running TomTom 6, which is included does make this phone all worth it. Gps fix is nice and fast and stays locked. Even while sitting in my lap, with no direct view of the sky in my truck. The only negative point is the screen, its very reflective, so with the sun hitting the screen, its gets a little washed out.

Overall use and feelings on the HTC Cruise. If you looking for a touch screen enabled Windows mobile pocket pc, then I would recommend it. But if you need access to a qwerty keyboard and plan on using the on screen keyboard you will be disappointed. Lets face it, this is Windows Mobile Professional. Using a pocket pc to input data without using the pen is a joke. If you use this as information pad and not a input pad, then you will be happy with your lack of input options.

If you looking for a powerful pocket pc, without a keyboard and has Gps, then check out the HTC Cruise.