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I'm sure I'm just setting myself up for disappointment one of these days, but I've come to expect big things from HTC at trade shows, whether it be CTIA or Mobile World Congress. The company has consistently delivered some of the hottest product announcements at these events, so can you blame a girl for thinking such thoughts?

Thankfully, I wasn't disappointed at GSMA Mobile World Congress 2009 (well, maybe a little, but I'll get to that in a bit) as HTC debuted several new handsets. The Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer kicked off the show by debuting the HTC Touch Diamond2 and the HTC Touch Pro2, which replace the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro.

HTC Magic

(Credit: Bonnie Cha/CNET Networks)

I stopped by HTC's booth on Wednesday to have a look at both smartphones, and I was impressed with the design improvements and enhanced technologies. The Touch Diamond2 probably wowed me more than the Pro2 because of its extremely thin and solid design. The device doesn't feel as plasticky with its brushed metal face and sides. Also, I can't tell if it's the sleeker design, but the screen pops out that much more and grabs your attention.

HTC has also worked on the user interface, providing a new Start screen where you can easily access your applications. It's also customizable and features more user-friendly icons. The touch-sensitive toolbar is a cool little feature. I didn't think it'd make that much of a difference but it definitely makes it easier to zoom in and out on Web pages and e-mails.

The Touch Pro2 is a monster, and I don't necessarily mean that in a bad way. It's bigger than the Touch Pro (4.5 inches tall by 2.3 inches wide by 0.6 inch thick versus 4 inches tall by 2 inches wide by 0.7 inch thick) but again solidly built. The navigation buttons along the bottom are smaller than I like, but that's a relatively minor complaint.

HTC Touch Pro 2

(Credit: HTC)

It's pretty safe to say that GSMA Mobile World Congress 2009 isn't lacking in action or excitement. Already, a number of handset manufacturers have revealed details of upcoming product launches, including Sony Ericsson and Garmin-Asus, and now you can add HTC to the mix.

With the show officially underway, HTC added two new models to its Touch series of smartphones: the HTC Touch Diamond2 and the HTC Touch Pro2. While the names lack imagination, the handsets get some spiffy makeovers and incorporate new features that bring a "people-centric approach to mobile communication."

The two smartphones share some features between them, including the new single-view contact integration. This brings your complete conversation history, whether it be text, voice, or e-mail, onto a single contact card and can also be viewed on the in-call screen. In addition, the Touch Diamond2 and Touch Pro2 are the first devices to employ HTC's new Push Internet Technology to help speed up downloads and rendering of Web pages on your smartphone. Finally, both devices use HTC's latest TouchFlo 3D interface, which brings more relevant information to the forefront and includes enlarged touch focus areas to make them more touch-finger friendly.

HTC Touch Diamond 2

(Credit: HTC)

Now, the differences. Obviously, form factor is one thing. The Touch Diamond2 is the next evolution of the HTC Touch Diamond, sporting a thinner design (4.25 inches high by 2.09 inches wide by 0.54 inch thick) and larger 3.2-inch, VGA touch screen with a gravity sensor. There's a new touch-sensitive zoom bar that makes it easier and faster to zoom in on Web pages, e-mails, text messages, photos, and documents.

The Windows Mobile 6.1 device claims to have 50 percent better battery life and also includes a 5-megapixel camera, 512 MB ROM/288 MB RAM with expandable memory, and a 528MHz processor.

Moving onto the HTC Touch Pro2, the HTC Touch Pro is still very much a business-centric smartphone and adds HTC's Straight Talk technology, which claims to improve the speakerphone quality using asymmetric speakers and advanced noise suppression with full duplex acoustics. The speakerphone will also automatically activate when you turn the phone over and place it facedown on a flat service.

Like the Diamond2, the Touch Pro2 gets a boost in screen size. The smartphone is equipped with a 3.6-inch WVGA (480x800) touch screen with a proximity sensor and the aforementioned zoom bar. It also boasts a sleeker design and keeps the slide-out full QWERTY keyboard for all the messaging nuts.

As far as availability, the HTC Touch Diamond2 is expected to ship in Europe and Asia during Q2 of 2009, while it will reach the rest of the world (read: the United States) later this year. The HTC Touch Pro2 is slated to ship worldwide this summer, but pricing for both phones was not revealed at this time.

HTC Touch Diamond

(Credit: Alltel)

Alltel customers need no longer envy their Sprint brethren--the HTC Touch Diamond is now available for Alltel customers as well. It's the same as the Sprint version, of course--you get Windows Mobile 6.1, EV-DO Rev. A, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, and a whole host of other goodies. The Touch Diamond for Alltel is available now for $249.99 after a two-year contract with Alltel.

HTC Touch HD

(Credit: HTC )

The poor HTC Touch Diamond and HTC Touch Pro; the two smartphones just made their CTIA Fall 2008 debuts, and we've already moved onto the next big thing. But can you blame us? On Monday, HTC introduced its newest Touch model, the HTC Touch HD, and it's a stunner.

The Touch HD features a 3.8-inch (diagonal) VGA touch screen, which is the largest display on a smartphone that I can remember to date. Given the spacious screen, it's no surprise the company designed the Windows Mobile 6.1 smartphone for heavy Web and multimedia usage, hoping to replicate what you might get on your desktop.

The quad-band (GSM 850/900/1800/1900) handset does offer HSDPA speeds for a faster browsing experience, but currently only works on the European 900/2100MHz bands. We imagine U.S. support will be added when and if brought to the States. The smartphone also comes equipped with a 3.5mm headphone jack and a 5-megapixel camera.

Like the other Touch series models, the Touch HD will feature the TouchFlo 3D interface and has integrated Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, and GPS. There's 512MB of flash memory and 288MB of RAM with a microSD card slot for expansion capabilities. According HTC, the Touch HD will be available through major European carriers in Q4, while other markets should follow shortly. No word yet on pricing.

While the official announcement wasn't supposed to cross the wires till next week, The Wall Street Journal went early with its story (please don't get me started on this) and published a review of the HTC Touch Diamond for Sprint.

Yes, that's right. The Windows Mobile 6.1 smartphone is officially part of the Sprint family; not that it was a complete surprise. The HTC Touch Diamond, as well as the HTC Touch Pro (no announcement on this model yet), were long rumored for a CDMA carrier months before Wednesday's early coming-out party. So now that the floodgates are open, here is what we know.

Word's out on the HTC Touch Diamond for Sprint.

(Credit: Sprint)

There are a number of differences between the Sprint HTC Touch Diamond and the unlocked version we reviewed in late June. First, it sports a purple/burgundy backplate to add more flash to an already sexy phone. The smartphone is also a smidge thicker and heavier at 4 inches tall by 2 inches wide by 0.6 inch deep and 4.1 ounces, but keeps the same 2.8-inch, 262,000-color TFT touch screen.

Of course, one of the highlights of the HTC Touch Diamond is the TouchFLO 3D interface, which provides a toolbar along the bottom of the screen where you can move left to right with the swipe of your finger to launch applications. Sprint's version is optimized so that you can access things like live TV, weather, e-mail, photos, contacts, and more.

In addition to the toolbar, there are several programs, such as e-mail, the camera, and music, where you can go flip through your files and messages by swiping your thumb/finger up or down the screen with a cool animated 3D effect.

Moving on to the features, the HTC Touch Diamond for Sprint runs Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional Edition, but rather than being content with the standard Microsoft Office Mobile Suite, the smartphone also ships with Dataviz's Documents to Go Suite and the Opera Web browser. We're sure many will be pleased with inclusion of these applications, which are arguably more robust than the former. Wireless options include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (with A2DP support), EV-DO Rev. A, and GPS with support for Sprint Navigation.

Samsung Omnia

(Credit: Samsung)

iPhone, schmiPhone. Now wait, don't go calling me an iPhone hater because I'm not. I'm just saying that there are a lot of other hot smartphones out there that deserve as much attention as Apple's starlet, and I've rounded up five of the hottest models.

Whether you're into the BlackBerry Bold or the Samsung Omnia, this group represents some of the most popular and highly anticipated smartphones this year.

I get a lot of reader e-mail wondering about their availability date, pricing, and so on, so I thought I'd try to kill five birds with one stone and answer your questions in one place. Unfortunately, I don't have as much information as you might want. The manufacturers aren't saying much other than what's already out there, but here's what I do know and I've provided my educated guess on when or if we might see these hot numbers here in the States. It's all here at Down the line: Smartphones.

HTC Touch Diamond

(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks)

Yesterday, it was the RIM BlackBerry Bold, today it's the HTC Touch Diamond and the HTC Touch Pro. Both Windows Mobile smartphones got FCC approval today, and it looks like they will be headed to a CDMA carrier as rumored. No word on when and whether it will be Sprint or Verizon Wireless, or both. At least, it's a light at the end of the tunnel.

[Source: Engadget Mobile]

HTC Touch Diamond headed to Sprint and Verizon?

(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks)

It's summertime and things are heating up, and we don't necessarily mean the temperature (because it certainly isn't very hot here in San Francisco, but I digress). No, we're talking more about rise in smartphone rumors, which isn't uncommon for this time of year as the carrier's start prepping for the fall and holiday seasons. As such, the blogosphere is blowing up with speculation, and looks like there's something for every carrier. Now, we must reiterate that these are just rumors and obviously, the service providers and device manufacturers haven't confirmed anything, so take it for what it's worth. That being said, here's the dish.

AT&T: I know it may be hard for some of you to believe, but there are people who don't want the Apple iPhone 3G, which is fine because if these rumors are to be believed, there are plenty of solid smartphones coming down the pipeline. According to Gizmodo (via Gear Diary), AT&T is expected to release the Wi-Fi-enabled RIM BlackBerry Curve 8320 and the RIM BlackBerry Bold in Q3. We actually followed up with RIM earlier this week to see if we could squeeze a more specific availability date for the Bold, and all we got is "availability is scheduled for summer 2008." Super, thanks. Anyway, Windows Mobile 6.1 upgrades are also due for the Samsung BlackJack II, AT&T Tilt, and Motorola Q9h in July and the Pantech Duo in October.

If you want more than a software upgrade, the Samsung BlackJack 3, Pantech Duo 2, and AT&T Tilt 2 (which the Boy Genius Report says will most likely be the HTC Touch Pro) are slated for a Q4 release, as well as a non-QWERTY mystery LG device. Finally, Nicole Lee reported yesterday that the Samsung Omnia may just be headed to AT&T as well.

T-Mobile: Frankly, T-Mobile's been pretty quiet on the smartphone releases lately. Aside from the Limited Edition Tony Hawk Sidekick 3 and the occasional BlackBerry here and there, nothing major has come out of the carrier. However, it looks like TMO is gearing up to offer an upgrade to the T-Mobile Shadow. It appears the Windows Mobile 6.1 smartphone will have a curvier design and continue to offer integrated Wi-Fi with added support for the T-Mobile's HotSpot@Home service. The Shadow II has an expected ship date of August. No word yet on whether there will be update to the T-Mobile Wing, but for those who care, there's apparently a new T-Mobile Sidekick, codenamed Gekko/Aspen, in the works.

Verizon Wireless and Sprint: According to Phone Arena, both CDMA carriers will be getting their own variations of the HTC Touch Diamond and the HTC Touch Pro. Unfortunately, no time frame was given as to when Sprint and Verizon might land these puppies. Both are also rumored to get the Palm Treo 800w, and while we're on the subject of Palm, who, oh who, will get the Palm Treo 850?

(Credit: Mobile Phone Helpdesk Europe )

The Touch Diamond hasn't even gone on sale in most countries and already, another new version has been announced. T-Mobile Germany launched three new MDA phones (its name for the HTC devices) and one of them is the MDA Vario IV, which is the rumored HTC Raphael. The other two are variants of the Diamond and Advantage.

This PDA-phone is largely similar to the HTC Touch Diamond but comes with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard like the TyTN II. According to Netherlands-based site Mobile Phone Helpdesk, the Vario IV has all the features of the Diamond but comes with 256MB of RAM instead of 192MB. There's no indication if it will sport TouchFLO 3D like the Diamond. But looking at the flat front surface, it certainly looks ready for HTC's custom interface.

The T-Mobile MDA Vario IV will go on sale in Germany at the end of September. We're contacting HTC regarding its availability elsewhere.

(Source: Crave Asia)