HTC shows why they dont need multi-touch

surur · 10/02/2007, 09:57 PM

Obviously prompted by the success of the iPhone, HTC has been scrambling (faster than most) to produce finger-friendly devices and the corresponding UI, all on top of the WM platform. They have been relatively successful in this, and with the Touch Duo they have demonstrated further improvement.

In this video they show the new HTC picture viewer, which uses gestures, and perform similarly to the iPhone. I think their circular gesture is actually more intuitive than the iPhone's and can probably be done more easily one handed too.

Have a look at this video and tell me if HTC will give Apple a run for their money.

http://x.msmobiles.com/portal/video/...-version-2.wmv

Surur

Ya Boi D · 10/02/2007, 11:25 PM

Very nice! Any chance of a .cab for the Treo 700wx?

surur · 10/03/2007, 03:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ya Boi D

Very nice! Any chance of a .cab for the Treo 700wx?

I'm sure it will be ripped soon

Surur

Pattycerts · 10/03/2007, 10:14 AM

ENGADGET MOBILE just reported TOUCH sales have reached 800,000. Considering the CPU in that baby I'd say that is quite a success! Good for them

surur · 10/03/2007, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pattycerts

ENGADGET MOBILE just reported TOUCH sales have reached 800,000. Considering the CPU in that baby I'd say that is quite a success! Good for them

I've just upgraded to a Kaiser. I must say it was a difficult transition. The Touch's buttonless design is strangely addictive, and seems a more natural interaction than the bulky, many buttoned Kaiser (about 57 buttons!) However I sure appreciate the HSDPA and GPS built-in.

I was going to hold out for the HTC Omni, but with rumours that it has been pushed back many months I just could not stay in 2.5 G world anymore.

The new HTC Touch Dual looks pretty attractive, and HTC seems to be learning the ropes in bringing a user-friendly veneer to WM very well. In fact they seem step by step to be replacing the whole WM UI, which just shames Palm, who had an even better opportunity to do the same.

Here's some more videos of their work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tupk8MYLhMk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMZaRx-sBNI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhaDGSMgEHI

Surur

TazUk · 10/03/2007, 10:35 AM

It makes you wonder just what all those developers at Palm are actually doing

Antoine of MMM · 10/03/2007, 12:51 PM

The Touch Dual is nice, some good bit of learning is needed, but the actions all seem intuitive enough. One of the vids I watched didn't show any text input except for entering a phone number, funny PR move

What is Palm doing? I'd imagine counting the number of taps and swipes to get to a function and optimizing the heck out of it. Touching is great, but the iPhone is an example of how if you have a communicator device, that too much touching can cause fatigue. There has to be a balance between the interface action, and the expected actions. The enhancements to HTC's Touch UI show that they are better understanding this.

It will be interesting to see Photon, because this kinda UI interaction should be even more fun to see (and hopefully not as much a system hack/layer).

Dieter Bohn · 10/03/2007, 01:18 PM

Thanks for the tip, Surur!

TurboTiger · 10/03/2007, 02:00 PM

Nice link. Thanks Surur

I like the screen features - not crazy about the form factor.

Dim-Ize · 10/04/2007, 09:42 PM

Interesting product. I hope to see this on Sprint. Looks like GSM for now, no?

It seems like there is more room on the front of the device to increase the screen size. I wish they had.

oalvarez · 10/05/2007, 06:09 PM

If they end up manufacturing one with a suretype slideout (ugh) it might be a great alternative to my Pearl for monday-friday business purposes.

i love the looks of it.

surur · 10/05/2007, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oalvarez

If they end up manufacturing one with a suretype slideout (ugh) it might be a great alternative to my Pearl for monday-friday business purposes.

i love the looks of it.

The version coming to Europe will have a 20 key suretype-type keyboard, whereas the Asian version (where they dont use the western keys) will have the normal 9 key dial pad.

HTC is also releasing their own official onscreen keyboard for when you dont want to slide the device open.

It also comes in the T9 and Suretype versions.

Surur

oalvarez · 10/05/2007, 07:37 PM

i like it, thanks for the pics and notes.....will have to give one a try.

Dim-Ize · 10/05/2007, 08:31 PM

Will the version for Sprint be the Dual or just the original?

morphiend · 10/05/2007, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by surur

I was going to hold out for the HTC Omni, but with rumours that it has been pushed back many months I just could not stay in 2.5 G world anymore.

Surur

is the omni even real? all we've seen were some nice specs and some renderings.it was supposedly coming out in october but we know it won't be out till at least next year (according to htc's fall releases). i don't mind waiting for it as the tilt doesn't really do it for me and i'm content with my 6700 but i'd just like to know it will actually exist and won't turn out like the imate ultimate

surur · 10/05/2007, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by morphiend

is the omni even real? all we've seen were some nice specs and some renderings.it was supposedly coming out in october but we know it won't be out till at least next year (according to htc's fall releases). i don't mind waiting for it as the tilt doesn't really do it for me and i'm content with my 6700 but i'd just like to know it will actually exist and won't turn out like the imate ultimate

People in the know say its real, but not coming anytime soon. In fact it may even be towards June 2008. Thats much too long to wait.

Surur

bloodycape77 · 10/06/2007, 07:22 PM

I really starting to like the Touch more specially witht he keyboard. Now add a full qwerty(maybe with the original touch's 2.8in or 3in screen) on CDMA and I'd be set. Does anyone have a picture of the 9 dial pad keyboard?

surur · 10/07/2007, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bloodycape77

Does anyone have a picture of the 9 dial pad keyboard?

Surur

PatrickS · 10/07/2007, 05:12 AM

It is curious that they only ever show one application, the photo viewer, in demonstrating the new gesture-based interface. Sure, it is probably the most appropriate, but one can't help wonder if it works anywhere else.

surur · 10/07/2007, 05:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PatrickS

It is curious that they only ever show one application, the photo viewer, in demonstrating the new gesture-based interface. Sure, it is probably the most appropriate, but one can't help wonder if it works anywhere else.

Its obviously application-specific. The touch-centered enhancements HTC has made as far as I can see are:

1) a finger-friendly media player called audio manager.

2) a finger-friendly gesture based photo-viewer.

3) a finger-friendly video jukebox

4) a larger finger-friendly start menu

5) a zooming task bar

6) finger scrolling and flicking in all apps that support scrollbars.

7) a task-centered app which starts up when you open the keyboard.

8) the finger-friendly HTC Home plug-in

9) a finger-friendly camera app.

10) a finger-friendly soft-keyboard

11) A finger-friendly photo dialer.

Pictures from this very detailed review here.
http://www.smape.com/en/reviews/htc/..._Dual-rev.html

I think thats about it at the moment, but I'm sure HTC's MAGIC lab will continue working on making WM more consumer-friendly.

Surur