The True Dash/Excalibur Successor (4/4)
HTC Snap with Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard
BATTERY
When we first did the unboxing and saw that the 1500mAh battery that came with the Snap was the same used for the Touch Pro2, we knew the device would have killer battery life, and it does. With moderate usage of GPS, WiFi, and a handful of calls, the Snap will get you through 2 full days. With light use, expect 3-4 days. Very good!
BUGS AND WISHES
By far our biggest gripe with the Snap, which was supposed to be its biggest selling point, is the keyboard. The keys feel cramped compared to the Moto Q9h and Samsung BlackJack, which will be a problem for those with large-sized fingers. Also, there is a Tab key where there should be an "A" key, causing there to be a significant learning curve for those coming from other similar devices.
The camera on the Snap is pretty bad. The pictures are noisy, the colors aren't vivid, and because there is no auto focus or flash, it's tough to get a crisp picture. Coming from other newer HTC devices like the Diamond2 and Touch Pro2 that have terrific cameras, it's hard to jump down to such a low quality camera.
The trackball is a great addition and allows for a smooth navigation experience compared to a D-Pad. But in Skyfire, the browser that makes browsing in Windows Mobile non-touchscreen usable, scrolling is intolerably slow using the trackball.
And then there are some other small gripes with the Snap: the microSD slot is under the battery cover, there is no case included, and the screen resolution is lower than it should be (how about some 320x320 like the Propel Pro?).
PURCHASING
The HTC Snap is only being sold in Europe right now, but you can import it to America and have it work on T-Mobile and AT&T, just without 3G. Rumor is that several global carriers will see some variant of the Snap come summar/fall 2009. If you want a Snap now, hop on over to Clove Technology where they are selling it for about £255, which, depending on the current exchange rate of the day, comes out to $400-500 USD. They'll ship worldwide.
PROS
Great build quality
Thin and light
Outstanding battery life
Rubbery coating feels great in-hand
Inner Circle feature may be very useful to some
Good performance
Screen has good outdoor visibility
Reasonably priced
Trackball is a welcomed D-Pad replacement
CONS
Keyboard feels cramped, has unusual key layout
No flash or autofocus on camera
No case included
Trackball doesn't work well with Skyfire
- Light sensor doesn't regulate screen brightness
microSD card slot is under battery
| Value |  |
| Ease of Use |  |
| Features | |
Overall |
 |
OVERALL IMPRESSION
We had high hopes for the Snap. We thought it would be the killer messaging device that the Dash/Excalibur once was. And despite it having a terrific in-hand feel thanks to a very thin and light form factor, despite it having battery life better than 90% of smartphones out there, the keyboard really hurts the Snap. For those with large sized hands, the cramped keyboard on the Snap will feel unusable. And for those that are coming from a Moto Q9h, BlackJack, or any other candybar-style QWERTY phone, the strange placement of the "A" key will a big annoyance for a period of time. If you're looking something with a more capacious keyboard, check out the HTC S743/S740.
