HTC Touch2 and the HTC Wiki
Since HTC is still attempting to establish itself in the mobile world, it is visibly putting in considerably more effort than that seen from some of the larger manufacturers. Whilst the likes of Nokia churns out handsets by the dozen, HTC produces fewer, more focused mobiles. The HTC Touch2 is one such phone, aimed at filling the gap between the powerful Hero and the fun-loving Tattoo. Since HTC is willing to give a little bit more of its time to handset owners, it is well worth taking a look at the various online outlets wherein you can learn more about your HTC Touch2. You could be forgiven for thinking that HTC stands for ‘Here To Communicate’ rather than the less catchy ‘High Tech Computer’.
If you have just picked up the HTC Touch2 from your local retailer or online, your first port of call should be the HTC Smartphone Wiki website. Whilst other owners of powerful phones are forced to create their own communities, HTC knows the value of consumer loyalty and so has created its own website dedicated to helping HTC users. This is not simply a jazzed-up customer support service, it is part of a symbiotic relationship between manufacturer and customer. Since it is a Wiki, it thrives on input from the HTC-owning community, so it is suitable for experts and amateurs alike. It is also nice to see that the people who run the site are dedicated to helping users without bombarding them with adverts for products or services. In fact, even if you want to sell your HTC Touch2-based wares on the Wiki you cannot, because that would breach the terms of use. There are detailed rules outlining the purpose of the HTC Smartphone Wiki, accessible from the main page, so a few moments reading those may be helpful before you delve deeper into the various sections of the site.
Obviously the HTC Wiki is not an entirely altruistic venture. It allows HTC to monitor the needs, desires and problems experienced by customers. This is not an entirely negative intent in itself; if HTC is better able to understand the owners of its products, it can cater to their specific requirements with future handsets. At the moment there are detailed guides relating to many of HTC’s older smartphones, but since the HTC Touch2 is so new there is yet to be a comprehensive, unified guide. For this reason you may want to keep checking the Wiki to make sure that when the guide is created you are among the first to know. You could even be involved in the writing process thanks to the open-source nature of the project.
For the those of a particularly technical disposition, the HTC Wiki also gives you access to multiple Smartphone ROMS. The HTC Touch2 is not amongst the supported phones as yet, but there are plenty of other HTC handsets which have been deconstructed for the community, including the Diamond. This is particularly useful if you are trying to run unsupported software or home-brewed programs. If you have the right level of knowledge you can really unleash the power of any HTC handset through the files offered on the Wiki. You can even vote for the next handset you would like to see on the ROM page, so get your votes for the HTC Touch2 in now and keep your fingers crossed!
It is easy to imagine that the HTC Touch2 is the result of some of the issues raised on the HTC Wiki relating to previous Windows Mobile handsets released by the manufacturer. This is largely because HTC’s own TouchFlo interface, which sits neatly over the top of the basic Windows Mobile software, has drastically improved the system. It is no secret that Microsoft’s mobile platforms are far from perfect, especially when it comes to touch screens. However, with feedback from the community as well as professional reviewers, HTC has been able to turn the HTC Touch2 into a far more manageable beast.
If you are looking for software and applications for your HTC Touch2 you should once more use the Wiki. There is an extensive list of supported apps, although as with any user-created content, caution and common sense should be applied. Apps range from tweaks to the HTC Touch2 camera functionality through advanced FlashPlayer software, to personal organisation software. All of these pieces of software come with detailed instructions, links to the developers’ websites and help and advice as to how various different HTC devices may behave when running the apps.
The HTC Wiki is also a great place if you want to find links and information on all of the other HTC user sites on the internet. Another eminently useful section of the site is the video gallery. Here you can see online reviews and average users un-boxing their HTC products. Several of the videos also provide how-to instructions and they can easily be applied to varying types of HTC products, including the HTC Touch 2 if you look out for the videos detailing Windows Mobile devices.
Although the HTC Wiki is extensive, there is one additional area in which HTC Touch2 owners may be interested. Simply called ‘Droplet’, this page gives you information on one of the most powerful social networking tools that no-one else seems to know about. In conjunction with the WetPaint widget, you can unify your Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and photo-blogging life. The droplets are available in a variety of forms and it seems that the app is still in the early days of its development. However, by using the HTC Wiki and other communities you can be assured of up to date news surrounding the latest and greatest functions and add-ons for your HTC Touch2.
Tags: htc, htc touch2, htc wiki