HTC S743 unboxed on video

We just recently heard that HTC's S743 was coming to U.S. markets, and now there's video of the device getting unboxed and pawed at. If you've already forgotten, the S740 lookalike's got a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a 2.4-inch QVGA display, and runs Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard. No big surprises here -- it's looking pretty solid overall -- but check it out for yourself.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 5th 2009 4:00AM]

hate those slider phones.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 5th 2009 4:02AM]

No thanks. No touchscreen, no deal. The other HTC devices are light years ahead of this thing. It looks like a remote control. I'll stick with my Dare. LOVE IT!

[allislost Posted Feb 5th 2009 4:16AM]

What makes a touchscreen device better than a non-touchscreen one?

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 5th 2009 4:25AM]

Have you ever used Windows Mobile Standard? No? I though so. Because if you did you'd have known how much more usable and faster it is.
I own S740 ever sice it became available in Europe and it is the best smartphone I've ever had (and I had quite a few). Its usability cannot be beaten by anything currently on the market.

[kjb434 Posted Feb 5th 2009 10:20AM]

Windows Mobile Standard is very efficient operating system. If you learn to use it, it is very fast to use.

[looselycoupled Posted Feb 5th 2009 10:51PM]

". Its usability cannot be beaten by anything currently on the market."

Windows mobile the most usable OS of anything on the market? Are you crazy? I'd place it in dead last among Android, OSX, S60, Blackberry, etc.

[ZSX Posted Feb 5th 2009 4:10AM]

The Standard version of Windows Mobile is great. I'm currently running NRG Rose Rom v1.7 on my HTC S620 (a.k.a. T-mo Dash) and the interface, taken off this phone, the HTC Rose S740/743, is slick and practical.

Not sure I like the slide-out keyboard either - this the S7** series of HTC phones looks so fat. I really wish they would go back to the candybar format sans QWERTY as I can type as fast using T8 and preidctive text. If this phone were just the upper half, and as thin, I would jump on it in a hearbeat!

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 5th 2009 4:20AM]

If it had a touchscreen and a five-row keyboard, then I'd be all for it!

Another row on the keyboard isn't crucial, but a touchscreen definitely is.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 5th 2009 4:26AM]

If it had a touchscreen and five-row keyboard it would be HTC Touch Pro, wouldn't it?

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 5th 2009 4:36AM]

Not unless the Touch Pro has a keypad on the front, which it doesn't. Having tactile keys is often nicer than just a touchscreen keypad when dialing a number.

The five row keyboard isn't essential... it's just nice to have.

[IsLNdbOi04 Posted Feb 5th 2009 4:37AM]

A Touch Pro. without the 640x480 res. screen.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 5th 2009 4:48AM]

I couldn't agree more. Everyone who doesn't like a touchscreen, has never used a good one. End of story. Old dogs CAN learn new tricks. I promise.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 5th 2009 4:50AM]

That's true. No VGA screen, either. Guess it would need that, too.

[16346540 Posted Feb 5th 2009 4:36AM]

Yay, it has three keyboards!

[Richard Posted Feb 5th 2009 1:11PM]

I genuinely thought the same on first sight!

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 5th 2009 4:47AM]

When I saw the pic, I thought "WTF!!! Two keyboards"

[Raul7 Posted Feb 5th 2009 5:27AM]

Well you could type faster!

[Oli D Posted Feb 5th 2009 5:27AM]

Ive been looking for a phone with 3 keyboards!

All this time ive been stuck with one... The future is now,
HTC FTW

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 5th 2009 6:11AM]

Small low-res screen running Windows Mobile.

Not a winning formula.

[Chickenatr Posted Feb 5th 2009 7:45AM]

*yawn*

[wxrman Posted Feb 5th 2009 9:54AM]

What a ki$$ a$$.... praising the device before he's even turned it on... I'm sure it's nice but please either review first and comment or don't bs us about not having opened it yet...

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 5th 2009 2:40PM]

I think all HTCs are super thick looking....

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 6th 2009 9:10PM]

just how i like em'

[bjsguess Posted Feb 5th 2009 12:27PM]

I like the design. Not for everyone but if using your phone as a phone first is a priority then this looks like a winner. A keypad for dialing is very nice compared to a touchscreen.

And while I'm a fan of touchscreen devices, WinMo standard is a slick OS. Don't knock it till you try it.

[drbohner Posted Feb 5th 2009 1:15PM]

I am so want to have!

Could have really used the maps last night (lost in the middle of nowhere - Montana???)... what's a city boi doing out here (that's BOISE)....

AND if they actually had broadband - I'd be game to drag my 360 up into the sticks, too (GSM is about it) :-)

gimme gimme gimmee, please

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 5th 2009 1:35PM]

Yo dawg, we heard you like small slide-out keyboards, so we put a small slide-out keyboard in your small slide-out keyboard so you can txt while you txt!!

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 5th 2009 1:37PM]

I totally thought it had two keyboards when I saw the screen shot

[MackinZach Posted Feb 5th 2009 2:16PM]

I really want this phone, but idk i kinda wish they had a slightly more stripped down version; all i would really do with it is text.

[FILA Posted Feb 5th 2009 9:26PM]

i dont like it

"Well who da hell asked you"

go to da hell niggaaaaa