HTC Touch Vogue Review
I recently evaluated the HTC Touch Vogue (US Cellular branded CDMA phone) for a few weeks. I tried my best to get this phone to a state so I could use it as my primary phone, and I just about succeeded. However, in the end, the hardware simply had too many handicaps conspiring against it.
As with all devices, there are two distinct components that combine to produce the overall functionality and user experience of the device: hardware and software. As far as the software goes, I tried pretty much everything available. I experimented with Google’s Android, but eventually ended up with the most cutting edge version of Windows Mobile available – 6.5 running HTC’s TouchFlo shell in place of the default Windows home screen. Of course Windows 6.5 isn’t officially available for this device (nor is Android for that matter), but obviously it can be done. I found a good commercial 3rd party SIP (onscreen keyboard) that worked really well, and if it weren’t for that the device would have been a complete non-starter. Typing with a stylus is a ridiculous notion in this day and age.
So as I’ve already mentioned, the hardware was the ultimate reason for doing away with the device. In some ways it was simply inadequate, while in others it was poorly designed. Here are the specific hardware deficiencies I encountered.