With HTC’s focus on higher-end touch screen devices such as its Touch line, it’s good to see they haven’t forgotten the tried and true, perennially popular candy bar QWERTY, a design which continues to hold its own as Blackjacks, BlackBerries and others.
I’m referring to the new HTC Snap, which upon first glance looks a little like a morph between a BlackBerry and a Blackjack.
Unfortunately, while HTC is brilliant with its signature line of Touch devices, the HTC Snap falls short because too many other phones do what the Snap does, but better. The four row keypad, for example, consists of keys which, while useable and not unfriendly, lack the dynamic contouring of the more recent BlackBerries. Similarly, the 2.4 inch screen delivers a lackluster experience. It may have qualified two years ago, but today people simply expect more.
That said, it isn’t a bad phone. Call quality is good, navigating is relatively easy and the phone is appealingly slim, which never hurts.
What is most odd is when you compare the size of the HTC Snap against the BlackBerry Curve, the Snap’s dimensions are larger in all but thickness, yet there is no benefit to the extra beef. This is to say that were the Snap providing a better or larger screen, one could argue in favor of increased size. Or if it possessed a feature set that out-performed its competitors, here again I’d tip my hat to the added size.
But alas the HTC Snap does not distinguish itself in a manner that would make it catch fire in the market.
On the upside, HTC did a wonderful job assigning secondary short-cut functions to many keys, making it a breeze to access the camera or your messages. This is a clever and appreciated inclusion.
Rounding out the feature set is GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth and an HTML browser. This phone will get you where you need to go, but in this writer’s opinion, there a more comfortable ways (options) to enjoy the ride.
Final Thought:
HTC rocks when it’s working on its pet projects, but the Snap project appears to have received the interns. It works, its decent, but it is in a tier that offers far better choices.
Review by: Scott Cerullo
What the Critics Are Saying...
- Ian Hardy , Mobile SyrupThe HTC Snap is what you can call an affordable smartphone. TELUS has this on a promo now for $0.00 on a 3-year. The Snap runs on Windows Mobile 6.1 and weighs only 120 grams.At first glance the Snap looks like a regular smartphone with a full QWERTY keyboard, and that’s exactly what it is. Th...
- Frank Lewis, CNETWe love the HTC Snap's brilliant keyboard and innovative Inner Circle feature, but it's let down considerably by its short battery life and dated Windows Mobile user interface. Consequently, we can't see many people rushing to swap their BlackBerry for a Snap.
- Eric M. Zeman, Phone ScoopHere is the video review of HTC Snap.
- Bonnie Cha, CNETThe Sprint HTC Snap definitely delivers on the messaging front, and the Inner Circle feature for prioritizing e-mail is quite useful.
- Michael Oryl, MobileBurnIn the end, we really like the HTC Snap for Sprint - with one major exception. The phone has a nice keyboard and a good looking, modern design. It has top-notch messaging features, including HTC's neat Inner Circle system. It even has passable photo and music abilities. What more could you ask for f...
Prices (Where to Buy)
Common Questions
We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the HTC Snap user manual here.
HTC backs up the Snap with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.
If your Snap has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact HTC support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find HTC's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.
Resources
Manuals / User Guides
- HTC Snap Manual (PDF)
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