Let’s get this out of the way first: I’m not a professional gadget reviewer and the views expressed here are simply my findings over the short time I’ve owned the HTC Tytn.
With that out of the way, let’s take a close look at the HTC Tytn which I picked up over the holidays from Rogers.
HTC Tytn Overview
The HTC Tytn by HTC is a Pocket PC. For all intents and purposes a miniature laptop. Some of its most notable features are a large 2.8″ touch-enabled screen, Windows Mobile 5.0, WiFi-Enabled, Bluetooth 2.0, built-in voice command software, and a hidden slide-out light-sensitive hardware keyboard.
Main competition to the HTC Tytn are the Motorola Q series, the Blackberry, and the Treo series which are the main phones I researched before finally deciding on the HTC Tytn.
Why I Chose the Tytn
I chose this particular PDA Phone because of its sleek, clean styling, slide-out hardware keyboard, large touchscreen display, and WiFi capabilities. Wireless Data being as expensive as it is here (no unlimited data plans as of yet) the WiFi was what sealed the deal for me. The Tytn is not GPS enabled so Google Map users will likely have to move to the Tytn II which to the best of my knowledge is not yet available here in Canada.
The Good
Obviously, one of the finer points of the Tytn is the WiFi capability. If you’re unfamiliar with the term WiFi it means basically that you can connect to your home network or any wireless access point and subsequently access the internet with wirelessly through a wireless router. I download and listen to a lot of podcasts so this is a definite plus. If you do not have a router, the handset is 3G enabled meaning you can access the web wirelessly at near broadband speeds anywhere that 3G network services are available but you’re paying for data.The screen is large and easy to read in most room lighting but can become difficult to read in the sun. Otherwise the size of the screen allows you to use the touch capabilities without too much trouble.
Bluetooth performance is sound. I did find an issue using a Motorola HS850 headset and the voice command capabilities but thanks to a bluetooth fix, that problem was quickly cured.
The Bad
I have several rants about this phone. One, what the hell were they thinking with this stylus? It’s a telescopic, chincy little toothpick. I much prefer my old Treo’s stylus to this one. After using the Tytn’s stylus for a while, when I picked up the Treo stylus it felt like the Treo’s was heavier and gave a more tactile sense. Two, the slide-out keyboard started to loosen after a while causing the phone to vibrate audibly in quiet mode. Not sure why that happened. The phone has never been dropped. Since I have warranty, I will likely get this looked at. This is unacceptable.
Three, the phone comes with about 60 megabytes of storage memory. I would have liked to have seen more memory so I can install more programs into the phone. As of writing, I have about 5 Megabytes of storage memory left which no doubt will be taken up next time I sync the phone up to my laptop.
Fourth, the crappy case. Kudo to HTC for including a case with the phone but it tends to slip off my belt often. Once it ended up under my car. Thankfully I noticed it was missing before I drove away. Temporarily it saved me 20 to 30 bucks but I think I’ll be purchasing a more secure case soon enough.
Fifth, Sound Quality. One of the first things I heard was that I sounded tinny to the other party.
Last, no headphone jack. I have a set of $150.00 Shure earphones which I love to use. Unfortunately, with no headphone jack, I can’t use them.
Final Thoughts and Conclusion
The HTC Tytn is a solid phone and despite my little rants, I’m more than satisfied with my purchase. I’ll be waiting for a Mobile 6 update if it ever comes but I’m not in a rush to return it if it one doesn’t get released for Rogers. I like being able to sync via bluetooth, read my email during downtime, and being able to listen to music all on my PDA.
On a sidenote: A great addition to this phone is a freeware application called TouchPal by CoolTek. It makes entering text quickly onto your PDA for quick SMS replies very easy. At first it takes a little getting used to but I can enter text faster with this little app than I can using my hardware keyboard. Check it out here.
Filed under: Gadgets & Gizmos
