Big review of HTC TyTN (code name HTC Hermes), Part 1

Less than a year ago, we saw the launch of Qtek 9100 (code name HTC Wizard), which offered a powerful set of features complete with an unusual yet highly convenient slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Unfortunately, there were a range of drawbacks, from an ultra-slow (but ultra-power- efficient) processor to slightly buggy system which took a long time to fix; and the device failed to convince many users. HTC is now making another attempt with a new device called HTC TyTN (code name HTC Hermes). I would like to thank Sunnysoft, a vendor of mobile solutions in the Czech Republic, for lending me a specimen for testing purposes.

If you find something strange about the name HTC TyTN, you are right. HTC has decided not only to manufacture mobile devices but also to sell them under their own HTC brand. They have chosen a nice shade of green as their corporate colour, forged a new logo and flooded stone as well as electronic shops with devices of funny names. HTC TyTN is one of them.

NB: The tested device had an English ROM version 1.18.255.3 (ROM) / 1.03.03.10 (radio) / 1.18.255.9610 (ExtROM). All parameters, benchmarks, applications, and screenshots herein pertain to that version of the system and may vary from other versions. Although there were newer versions of the ROM for HTC Hermes models sold under different brands, I stuck to the aforementioned version for this review because it was the latest for the device sold as HTC TyTN.

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What is in the box?

The package is typical for HTC: a small black box containing a complete set of accessories. Let's take a peek inside:

• HTC TyTN
• Battery
• 2x telescopic stylus
• Case
• Stereo headset
• AC adapter
• USB synchronisation cable
• User manual
• Quick-start guide
• CD-ROM
• Warranty information

From the pint of view of a mildly experienced user who has seen an unpacked PDA before, the box does not contain anything special. We will deal with the device later on, first for the accessories. The case – as has become a standard lately – offers more convenience than protection. Nevertheless, it does provide a basic level of protection against damage due to adverse environment or incautious handling by the user. It resembles that supplied with the HTC Wizard but a second look will reveal some differences. First of all, it is not made of nylon but black leather(-ette). The design is very simple, consisting of two uneven pieces joined together by four stretchable strips to form a perforated pocket. The upper part of the larger piece flips over the pocket and fastens with two pairs of magnetic buckles. This way, the device is protected against damage while all the main controls on the sides are easily accessible.

The package contains two telescopic styluses. They are 55 millimetres long and 4 millimetres thick when folded, and 83 millimetres long when expanded. The body is made of some light silvery metal, the tip and the top are plastic. The stylus is comfortable to use, yet a few extra millimetres in length would improve the experience.

The AC adapter and synchronisation USB cable are standard. The adapter is compact, featuring a miniUSB connector. However, I did not use it very much because the device can recharge over USB from the desktop computer. The synchronisation cable is ordinary, 120 cm long, with a miniUSB connector on one end and a full-size USB connector on the other.

A stereo headset with earphones brings some excitement to the otherwise rather boring list of accessories. First of all, unlike the silver uglies we commonly see bundled with mobile devices, this headset does not look like the cheapest thing in the box. This is partly due to its black colour, partly due to better-than-average quality material. A welcome innovation is also a pair of plastic foam cushions. I cannot remember a Windows Mobile device to offer such comfort. The audio qualities of the earphones are described further below. They are attached to two cables of uneven length that come together just above a small remote control bud combining a microphone, volume control, and a multi-function button (accept call, hang up, activate voice dialling). A little below the remote control, attached to the main cable, is a tiny collar clip. The cable ends with a connector, which is the cause of the aforementioned excitement. Good news is that it is not a 2.5 mm jack, unlike in the majority of cell-phone equipped Windows Mobile devices. Bad news is it is not a standard 3.5 jack, either, but a standard miniUSB connector. Well, it is not exactly a standard one, but more on that later. This is a disappointment for those who would like to use quality headphones on the go: the TyTN is not primarily designed as a pocket audio player, unfortunately.

Other items in the box include a brief user guide, a more comprehensive manual, an applications CD- ROM, and some leaflets and warranty information.

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Design

Comparison with HTC Wizard will inevitably accompany us all the way down this review as thin red line. The TyTN closely resembles the other device with minimum differences. Besides a different look, they include greater length, smaller thickness, and less rounded corners (a flatter design). Whereas the dimensions changed little (TyTN's dimensions are 4.41 x 2.28 x .87 in / 112.5 mm by 58 mm by 21.95 mm), the weight increased by 10 percent to 6.02 ounces / 176 grams. Despite, user experience is similar to the Wizard: the device holds comfortably, and the size and weight are tolerable for the device to be carried in the pocket all day. The body is made of plastic. It appears assembled better than the Wizard, especially as regards the slide-out keyboard. Don't take this for granted, though – I can judge by my short- term experience. It remains to be seen what the device will look like after half a year of everyday use. Whereas I criticised the Wizard for shakiness while working with the device lying on a hard surface, the TyTN is rock stable. Well, when you expand the keyboard, it will lose some of its stability.

Pocket PC	Dimensions (mm/in)	Weight (g/oz)
HP iPAQ h6340	119 x 75 x 18.7 5.42 x 2.94 x .82	190 6.7
HTC TyTN (HTC Hermes)	112.5 x 58 x 22 4.41 x 2.28 x .87	176 6.02
Qtek 9100 (HTC Wizard)	109 x 58 x 23.7 4.29 x 2.28 x .93	160 5.64
T-Mobile MDA III	125 x 72 x 19 4.92 x 2.83 x .75	210 7.4

The front panel is much richer than those of many other devices. Besides a dominant colour display, it carries a host of controls and indicators. Above the display are two buttons that launch Messaging and Pocket IE, respectively. Just below them are two LED indicators that notify the user of the status of wireless modules and as well as events and systems status. Between the LEDs is a phone speaker. On the right-hand side is a digital camera for video calls. Below the display in the middle is a four-directional control with an independent central confirmation button. To the left and right of the control are located two pairs of buttons: the upper ones serve as software keys (WM5 softkeys) and control the system and applications, the lower ones launch the Start menu and confirm selection/close active window, respectively. Farther to the edges are phone controls (with green and red handset symbols) and on the left, intersecting partly with the green handset button, is a non-configurable button that launches the video call application.

The back of the device opens completely to expose the battery, SIM card, and a digital photography equipment in the upper third, including the lens, LED flash, a small mirror, and a macro mode switch. Besides those elements, there is a rubber-capped external antenna connector and a quarter-circle loudspeaker opening in the upper part.

A dream of many users has come true on the left side – a scroll wheel that can be used to scroll up and down lists, windows, and perform other cool tricks. That's not everything: the scroll wheel can be pressed to confirm the selection, which makes your work fast and efficient. I addition, it differentiates between a short and a long press to confirm or open a context menu, respectively (as if you tapped an item and held the stylus down). Just below the scroll wheel is a button that combines two functions: open the Start Menu and close the active window OK. Together, the scroll wheel and the button make a strong combination for one-handed control of the device. Further below is a dual- function user-definable button. By default, a short press activates voice control, and a long press launches sound recording. Close to the bottom is the device's only expansion slot. Bad news for owners of miniSD cards: the slot supports only the microSD (TransFlash) format.

The right-hand side features three buttons. The top one is the power switch. If you hold it down for about 5 seconds and confirm, the device will shut down completely to a state similar to hibernation. This is particularly useful when you won't need to use the device for a long time. In this mode, the battery will last for several weeks. The middle button is user-definable, pre-set to launch Comm Manager, an application for comprehensive management of all communication channels, from WiFi to DirectPush for always-on synchronisation with a Microsoft Exchange server. The bottom button is also user-definable and launches the camera application by default. It serves also as a shutter release. Further down is a small opening with the stylus inside.

The top side is free of any controls or other elements, most likely because the upper part of the device is packed with antennas for all the wireless modules and anything extra would disturb reception. By contrast, the bottom side is rich with various elements, including a miniUSB connector for data synchronisation, a battery compartment door lock, microphone, a submerged soft reset button, and an infrared sensor. And in the left corner is a lanyard hook. No, we have not omitted the keyboard, it deserves a chapter on its own.

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Slide-out keyboard

The new HTC TyTN boast many great features and its slide-out keyboard is undoubtedly one of its main prides. The principle is the same as in the Wizard. All the keys are located on the base of the device, which is larger than the upper part with the display. When closed, the device looks like a standard PDA. If you want to use the keyboard, you need to slide it down (to the left in the portrait mode). It is easy, you just need to overcome some resistance at the beginning and before the end of the travel. These "locks" are intended to keep the keyboard tight shut or fully extended. The mechanism seemed more robust as compared to the Wizard. It remains to be seen if this was because the device was completely new and if it wears out over time.

As you can see from the photos around, the keyboard has been innovated substantially, including the shape of the keys as well as their layout. There are 39 of them (four rows with ten keys each, the spacebar in the bottom row occupies two positions) plus two soft keys to control menus from the keyboard. Instead of oval shape we saw in the Wizard, the keys are rectangular (8 by 6 millimetres), packed tightly together as in the HTC Universal. The majority of keys have two functions, with the secondary symbol available when the key is pressed simultaneously with the function key (blue dot). You can compare the changes of the layout in the photos, with the main difference being in the numeric keys – they have moved from the top row in the Wizard to a "3x3+1" arrangement in the TyTN, which is more convenient for dialling, for instance. There is also a pair of buttons for quick scrolling up and down: PgUp and PgDn.

Entering accented characters is rather complicated, as usual: you must first type the plain character and then simultaneously press the function key (blue point) and the spacebar. If there are more accents available for a character, you have to press the spacebar repeatedly. For special symbols, such as the Euro or per mill sign, you need to press the function key and Tab, which will open a six- page table where you can choose the desired symbol.

The keyboard backlight is blue, as in the Wizard, which is rather unfortunate in combination with the grey colour of the keys. However, it is brighter and better visible than in the Wizard. Nevertheless, I would prefer light on a different wavelength – bright blue is just not the right thing for my eyes. In addition, there is a light sensor that activates the backlight in the dark (can be turned off:). Unfortunately, there are no settings for the backlight but on/off.

How does typing on the keyboard feel like? Very good. With respect to the size of the buttons, the most typical way of typing will be with two thumbs or forefingers (those with lean hands will be able employ middle fingers as well). It is very easy to type while walking, as it was with the Wizard. It is hard to say, though, which keyboard is better: whether the Wizard's or the TyTN's. They both need some training and different people have different preferences – while some will go for spacing between the keys, others will appreciate smooth movement of fingers around the tight keyboard. The keys on both keyboards run easily with a hardly audible click. Wizard users who have mastered its keyboard will have problems getting used to the TyTN if they upgrade – they are sure to make lots of typos. On the other hand, the new layout seems more logical and convenient. Besides, special keys such as Start and OK render the stylus unnecessary for many tasks. As soon as you get accustomed to the keyboard layout, you will be able to type larger chunks of text without problems. Another witness of a clever designer's work is the location of the data connector – when the cable is plugged in, it does not obstruct typing. To put it simply, it is a dream-come-true for textual communication lovers:)

To go to the second part of this review, please click here.

Article rating - (75 votes)