Sometimes it seems that Windows Mobile progresses at a glacial pace, but thanks to the folks at HTC who take matters into their own hands, everything old is new again. The HTC Touch Pro2 runs Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional (the touch screen version of WinMo) but HTC's extreme makeover will make you think this must be Windows Mobile 7. Their TouchFlo 3D has progressed from the original Diamond, then to the Touch HD and now the Diamond2 and Touch Pro2 to a thing of beauty that won't make you hide your phone when the iPhoners want to play show and tell. It's responsive, fast and makes the most of a non-capacitive touch screen thanks to the enlarged user interface and extensive icon and menu customizations.

The Touch Pro2 has a massive 800 x 480 display that measures 3.6"-- just the right size to be finger-friendly and to show off videos, photos and web pages using Opera. While the Diamond2 shares the same resolution, its 2.8" screen just doesn't have the same wow factor and usability (likewise for the first gen Touch Pro/Fuze).

The Touch Pro2 is an unlocked quad band GSM world phone with EDGE and 3G HSDPA only on the Euro bands. You'll have to wait for the US carrier-branded versions to get 3G in the US. Thanks to leaks on the web, it looks like most if not all US carriers will eventually get this phone.

Here's our 10 minute video review of the Touch Pro2:

Specs:

800 x 480, 3.6" touch screen display with haptic feedback and accelerometer
528MHz Qualcom MSM7200A CPU, 512 megs flash memory, 288 megs RAM
GPS
WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
3.2 MP camera with autofocus lens, can record VGA video
slide and tilt QWERTY keyboard
6.61 ounces
YouTube player
TouchFlo 3D user interface
1500 mAh Lithium Ion battery
SDHC microSD card slot

Our full written review will follow soon, and in the meantime, feel free to post questions. Suffice it say in the meanwhile, I like it mucho!

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