HTC Fuze TouchPro delivering good performance, and a functional design

The HTC Fuze for AT&T ships with Windows Mobile 6.1, push e-mail capabilities, and a good helping of multimedia features, including a 3.2 megapixel camera. Other highlights include a full QWERTY keyboard; VGA touch screen; Wi-Fi; Bluetooth: GPS; and HSDPA support. For AT&T business customers who demand the most out of their smartphones, the HTC Fuze is up to the task, delivering plenty of features, good performance, and a functional design.

HTC Touch Pro parts are designed for one-hand operation using simple, gesture-based navigation, allowing customers to simply touch, hold and slide along the screen tabs. A quick slide on the home screen quickly activates the most used features such as e-mail, text messaging, music player and camera. This instinctive interface extends to the powerful Web browser. A useful "zoom in, zoom out" feature makes it especially fun and easy to access the Web via the included Opera browser, which provides for desktop-like Web page renderings and user interactions. Powered by AT&T's 3G network - the nation's fastest - and Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, the HTC FUZE is a compact yet powerful communications tool with a smooth gloss black finish and a distinctive and unique faceted backplate.

The HTC FUZE features a sharp, 262K color 2.8-inch (480 x 640) VGA touch screen for touch-sensitive navigation control, complete with three-dimensional animated transitions. For e-mail, messaging and other data input, the HTC FUZE also comes equipped with a full QWERTY keyboard, which was designed specifically for AT&T and slides out from the smartphone's side. Connectivity Options Beyond AT&T's robust 3G network, the HTC FUZE provides AT&T customers with a host of other connectivity options. When abroad, AT&T customers can use the HTC FUZE to make or receive a phone call in more than 200 countries and check e-mail, browse the Web or perform other data functions in more than 150 countries, including in more than 60 - such as Japan and South Korea - that have deployed 3G networks.

AT&T loads the HTC Fuze Touch Pro repair service with more software and branding than does Sprint on the Touch Pro. At times we felt like the Fuze contained a minefield of subscription services-- accidentally press that annoying PTT button and you're asked if you'd like to purchase the $10/month service (make sure to hit the little "no" button!). Want to play one of the many pre-installed, non-removable games for more than 90 seconds? You must buy it. Likewise there are quite a few apps on the phone that are tempting but lead to more monthly fees (XM Radio, Music ID, MobiTV and more). There are myriad application and game demos (approx. 15!) and that's way too much crapware for a phone.