Sprint's Touch Diamond, now available

Like they said they would, Sprint just spun the HTC Touch Diamond out for retail. $250 (after $200 instant savings, $100 mail-in rebate, and 2-year contract) takes home this WinMo 6.1 candybar with HTC's TouchFLO 3D salve layered atop a 2.8-inch touch-screen display, 4GB of memory, WiFi, 3.2 megapixel camera, stereo Bluetooth, GPS, and EV-DO Rev. A. The tough decision is buy now, wait for Sprint's Touch Pro launching on October 19th, or hold-out for Best Buy to get its act together and put the $700 unlocked 3G Touch Diamond out onto store shelves.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[Cow Bell @ Sep 14th 2008 2:35AM]

I want to wait for the Pro. But knowing myself, i will get the Diamond tomorrow just because i waited long enough! Cant wait any longer.

[yyan @ Sep 14th 2008 3:00AM]

Do you truly have a fever, or are you just an attention whore?

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Sep 14th 2008 9:37AM]

They are awesome phones, but Sprint has got them over priced.

[DssTrainer @ Sep 14th 2008 10:26AM]

@cubswillwin: I think the price is right for the upgrades. Remember its a 533Mhz proc and 256Mem... vs the normal 200Mhz for GSM and the 400mhz for the Verizon

[zephxiii @ Sep 14th 2008 10:50AM]

@DssTrainer, incorrect, the GSM diamond has the same CPU as the Sprint version, 528MHz Qualcomm MSM7201A.

http://www.mobiletechreview.com/phones/Sprint-HTC-Touch-Diamond.htm

http://www.mobiletechreview.com/phones/US-3G-HTC-Touch-Diamond.htm

[Vic @ Sep 14th 2008 12:43PM]

@ zephxiii

He was referring to the European/Asian GSM versions. The US GSM has the improvements of its CDMA counterpart.

[Hung @ Sep 14th 2008 1:25PM]

@ zephxiii & Vic

DssTrainer is referring Verizon's crippling of the device. Not the difference between the GSM and CDMA version, but the difference between two variants of a CDMA phone.

[Josh @ Sep 14th 2008 2:12PM]

I just ordered mine! I couldn't get through the incredibly crappy sprint site to order it so i had to call and go through the (admittedly worse) customer service line. Isn't shipping until tuesday though :(. Might as well order the diamond on the 19th so that if you find yourself hating it you can trade in for the pro on the 19th or october - right?

In any case - i am just really excited. It was a tough morning to wait for sprint customer service to open so i could order... I actually didn't sleep well last night i was so excited. This is why i call myself a geek... but at least i have the supportive community of engadget to rank me down when they read this. Everyone's a critic i suppose...

[Evangelion @ Sep 14th 2008 2:35AM]

Thats a sexy looking phone.

[adam @ Sep 14th 2008 4:56AM]

but i miss the cool angled background from teh euro version. thenew one makes it look so... business-like.

[Snitch @ Sep 14th 2008 12:07PM]

So let me get this right, they expect people to pay $349 up front and then get a $100 rebate by mail for this crap, lol, good luck with that

[Erb @ Sep 14th 2008 2:41AM]

"Sprint's Touch Pro launching on Friday"

Since when is the 19th of OCTOBER a Friday? :)

[Thomas Ricker @ Sep 14th 2008 3:01AM]

Oops, LHC has me in a time warp. Post corrected.

Thomas

[qrius @ Sep 14th 2008 2:44AM]

I hate that they require the simply everything plan to get the rebate!

from sprint.com

Touch Diamond™ by HTC

A cut above the rest

With the touch of a finger, check your work and personal email, surf the web on the 2.8" touch-screen and access your personal photos, videos and music stored on the 4GB of internal memory.

Mail-in rebate requires an Everything plan, Talk/Message/Data Share plan, Data Premier add-on or PRO Pack add-on. Get free shipping and free activation when you purchase a phone with a new line of service online!

[Brian @ Sep 14th 2008 2:50AM]

i can agree its annoying but they really do have awesome plans. whats the point of the phone without data?
on att or verizon it would cost way more for anything close to equivalent

[OnlyShawn @ Sep 14th 2008 3:35AM]

...if I can't get this (or, likely, the Pro) on my old SERO plan (the awesome $30/mo including everything, not the new only-slightly-better-than-standard-plans SERO), I will not be a happy person.

Hello, T-Mo and G1.

[Mark @ Sep 14th 2008 6:54AM]

Reading is fundamental: Mail-in rebate requires an Everything plan, OR Talk/Message/Data Share plan, OR Data Premier add-on OR PRO Pack add-on.

They require a data plan to get the rebate.

[Freakin Ijit @ Sep 14th 2008 10:37AM]

> I hate that they require [a noncheap plan] to get the rebate!...

All the smartphones are the same, I believe.

[TIM @ Sep 14th 2008 1:28PM]

Does sprint charge for the data through Wifi access, or just the network? cause that would be so gay if they did.

[Brian @ Sep 14th 2008 2:49AM]

im just waiting for att to launch the fuze (touch pro) come onnnn

[Flashpoint @ Sep 14th 2008 2:57AM]

By this time next year, the iPhone 3G^2 will be out and other devices like this will be long forgotten. Apple is one step ahead in both the MP3 player and cell phone department. Brilliant move using the same basic design for two powerful products.

[Erb @ Sep 14th 2008 3:03AM]

Apple will never be as great as windows. Sure its good, but Microsoft 3rd party development/applications will always make Microsoft > Apple. I mean really, who really wants to pay for every application/program?

[Jon Nelson @ Sep 14th 2008 3:07AM]

Really? Long forgotten? Because it seems to me like HTC's phones, despite some of them being even several years old, still have a massive fanbase, and full community support. Cases in point? Titan (Mogul), Touch, Tilt, as well as now the Diamond and Touch Pro. And those are only the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

If someone wants to buy a completely locked down phone on a crappy network (Yeah, Sprint has its issues, but I'll take EVDO Rev A over AT&T's sketchy 3G ANY time) from a company that, to be honest, doesn't really play well with others, then they're welcome to it.

I've said it time and time again, the only thing the iPhone has over any of HTC's phones is the slick interface, and even WinMo is beginning to catch up there and will soon leave the iPhone in the dust.

In any case, I'm sick of idiot fanboys posting irrelevant comments like Flashpoint's on anything that isn't Apple related.

[Jon Nelson @ Sep 14th 2008 3:10AM]

And by the way:

This post, this one right here that I typed just now?

I copied and pasted it from my Windows Mobile phone.

[OnlyShawn @ Sep 14th 2008 3:30AM]

and, don't forget the step-above-vaporware touch HD.

[Techie @ Sep 14th 2008 3:53AM]

@ Flashpoint

There's no such thing as 3G^2 but there is 4G. As far as I know Apple only has the the upper hand in the mp3 department because there's only a few people in the US that have heard of Cowon. If you ever get a chance to compare an iAudio7 to a iPodNano than go ahead. You will be surprise how much better it is. Apple can never ever be the best because there's always someone else in the competition.

[DssTrainer @ Sep 14th 2008 10:30AM]

As bad as WinMo is... people still seem to like it. I can't stand it.
There is NO need for word, excel, or any of that crap. No need for pdf, its all useless garbage. It amazes me that people even want the AT&T Fuze when they have the option of the iPhone and a bevy of other great phones. I think WinMo is decent for smartphones.. but for a full touch screen.. it is worthless. IMHO

[Alberto @ Sep 14th 2008 1:46PM]

@Flashpoint

Dude where do you get your info. Out of the bottom of a hat. Let's be honest. Apple has set the standard in PMPs, now they getting a bit behind because they are trying to jump loops before they master to run. As a phone Apple only has set the stand in style. The iphone within itself has a lot catching up too.

Let's mention one very basic function. Contact searchablity. You still have to scroll through and select which "letter" of the alphabet to find a number. Instead of simply just typing in a name and getting a short list or that exact contact to popup. Sounds trivial, but when you got over 300 contacts, it's a basic feature that becomes invaluable. There are more little features like that the iphone can not do.

@ERB

Ok, don;t get carriy away now. Both iphone and WinMobile apps are for sale...well the decent ones. Both platforms have hundreds of free worthless apps. some ok. But the ones that really are useful cost money.

@Techie

I believe flashpoint was referring to the future 3rd gen iphone which why even mention it. And techie, everything has competition not just iphone. but you make a good point the iphone is a great ipod but an ok phone. Keep in mind touchscreen was already out long before the iphone. Apple just made it look cooler.

@DSS

What's your point. iphone can show excell, powerpoint, word and PDF files too. What makes WinMobile so great is the fact the user can completely customize it. From it's UI to it's functions. Apple has ban that ability from the iphone. Even if you jailbreak it, Apple gets control again through the latest update.

Do us real Mac users a favor and go back from where you came from. Real true Mac fans celebrate technology and the latest gadgets. No matter if it's for Windows or Mac. Usually, our complaint is why can't we have that too.
Your attitude just makes us look like idiots.

BTW, back to the phone in question. Am ready to go to sprint. I hate Sprint. But other then Cricket and Cellular South. Sprint has the best offer money wise. I really do wish that Sprint wouldn't have mess with the Diamonds original specs and design. I miss the expansion microSDHC slot and the diamond back.

[striker199 @ Sep 14th 2008 2:59AM]

Is the red backplate replaceable with the diamond one? Also the one from BestBuy is the only 3G version?

[tchapp @ Sep 14th 2008 3:38AM]

no & yes.

[a ham sandwich @ Sep 14th 2008 11:24AM]

wait....what?! i never read anything that suggested that the sprint/verizon versions of the touch werent gonna have 3g. that blows! can somebody linkify me please?

[JerryA @ Sep 14th 2008 1:01PM]

@ham: It will have 3g the way Sprint's smartphones have had for the past couple of years. Someone is confusing 3G GSM with 3G in general.

[a ham sandwich @ Sep 14th 2008 1:05PM]

@jerry

phew! that was a close one! i feel like a lot of people lately confuse 3G with GSM for some reason. thanks!

[Tony @ Sep 14th 2008 3:07AM]

oh my goddd
finally!!

[Patrick R @ Sep 14th 2008 9:18PM]

echoed
i passed up the iphone waiting for this

[Jesse S @ Sep 14th 2008 3:15AM]

Does the Touch Pro also have 4gigs internal?

[Kimleng @ Sep 14th 2008 3:19AM]

No, but it does have an expandable memory slot which the Diamond does not have.

[rpatino @ Sep 14th 2008 3:28AM]

I am still waiting for the Verizon version, any word on the release date?, but I am not sure if I can keep waiting. On the other hand the HTC HD looks great, and it maybe out by December...
Difficult decision.

[MastrCake @ Sep 14th 2008 3:40AM]

Can't wait for the Pro. I don't like the red. And the lack of a real keyboard on the Diamond kills me, especially on a Windows Mobile device. Imagine how sluggish that keyboard could get (for example, when all of the memory is being used for other programs and stuffs).

[BChau @ Sep 14th 2008 4:11AM]

I thought so at first, being so used to the TyTN which comes with the keyboard. But having used Diamond for about 1 month now, I have to say the onboard keyboard is very good and usable. And the size of Diamond is really compact and pocket friendly. Give it a try and it may change your mind too.

[onlyshawn @ Sep 14th 2008 4:20AM]

I've seen a few comments from people using the diamond, the touch pro, and the new touch HD over on ?MoDaCo? (brit site, I think...was linked to here on some previous post...maybe even the touch HD post earlier today) where they mentioned a few times that the new on-screen keyboard is so good that you wouldn't need a keyboard.

got me thinkin', that's for sure. If I don't need the extra thickness, I'll do fine w/o it...but it seems that it would be a near requirement.

[patriotsn1 @ Sep 14th 2008 4:07AM]

Then close some of the programs... At lease WinMo LETS you run multiple programs at once.

[AL @ Sep 14th 2008 4:53AM]

I guess it depends on whether you need to do a lot of typing. I agree that typing on my Touch Diamond is a bit difficult at times (I decided to use the full on screen keyboard instead of the other keyboards available, so the buttons are smaller to hit) but I'm not using my phone as a word processor. For SMS and some minor typing (like web addresses and entering calendar/contacts/notes) I can live with it when the payback is the thin size. But if you're a heavy email user and like to type out emails, the on screen keyboard will not be very efficient, and therefore the Touch Pro is the better phone for you.

Memory wise, I've had to reboot the phone once in the 2 weeks I've had it when it got really laggy, it seems that there is some memory leakage in some of the on board apps. But freshly booted, the keyboard is as fast as my old Tytn with the keyboard. I would guess that the Touch Pro would have the same lag if it uses the same TouchFlo overlay (and there is a distinct lag in navigating through WinMo), it seems to take up a fair bit of the memory.

[Steve @ Sep 14th 2008 4:10AM]

With that money, I'd rather get the iPhone.

[sit2k @ Sep 14th 2008 6:32AM]

with that money i would get the htc since i can do anything i want with it.. with iphone i will be like a monkey pressing buttons on the screen..

good luck with your monkey toy that you cannot configure to your liking

[Herman @ Sep 14th 2008 4:17AM]

Here in South Africa the Diamond has been out for a month or so. The Iphone is "coming soon".

It's difficult to choose between the two. I played with an Iphone v 1. And it's much more responsive than any windows mobile device I have ever used.

The Diamond is awesome though.

[sit2k @ Sep 14th 2008 6:39AM]

yes it's more responsive because it doesnt have anything running in the background.. you dont even have sd or gps on the piece of junk.

comparing iphone to winmo is like comparing a mouse to a tiger.

iphone = mouse.

i went into an apple store the other day and asked if i can control my pc at home with an iphone.. these so called geniuses all looked at each other and got into a huddle to give me an answer.. the answer was the most buggy software on the market "vnc".. it took 5 minutes to get the answer.

[Mark @ Sep 14th 2008 6:57AM]

It depends on what you want to do with it... if you have apps that need to run on Windows Mobile, then you want the Touch Diamond or Omnia. If you can live with the compromises of the iPhone, get that.

[Justin Paulson @ Sep 14th 2008 11:59AM]

@sit2k

iPhone has gps, don't bash something you aren't familiar with.

Reasons I like my new iPhone way better than the 3 years I spent on winmo:

Updates are easy to get and frequent. Only updates
I ever got on wm were ones I searched for myself, usually
Created by modders not manufacturers)
Apps are easy to find and usually have
much better interfaces (winmo apps usually look
Like garbage and good ones are hard to find)
Web browser on iPhone is 50x better than ie
And much better than opera (which you have to pay for)
Or skyfire, which is fast but buggy and nowhere near safari.
iPhone came WITH 16 gigs, winmo rarely has onboard memory
Like that

Honestly I can't think of any functions ive
Completely lost to iPhone that I really care about
Copy/paste, probably needed it like once in two months.
Ability to run multiple Programs...never miss it, there is
Nothing I hated more than constantly having to close Programs

It sounds like you are just a hater and never really used iPhone.

[Michael @ Sep 14th 2008 4:22AM]

I'm confused...why would I wait for Best Buy's unlocked 3G version? Sprint is a CDMA network, and as I understand it 3G = GSM. Same thing with the Touch HD (looks beautiful, btw). It's supposed to be 3G, so how can people mention that and Sprint and/or Verizon? Am I missing something there?