Hands-on with the HTC Snap

The HTC Maple that we saw leaked not too long ago has finally hit market as the BlackBerry-fighting HTC Snap. Boasting a full-QWERTY keyboard and a BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM)-esque trackball, the HTC Snap isn’t just a productivity tool, it’s also a (social) communications device. And, with the new “Inner Circle” email management feature, the HTC Snap puts a new spin on how we communicate with those most important to us. We’re not sure what the folks in Espoo think about HTC going trackball-style with their latest messaging handset, but we’re sure email-loving smartphone fans will fall in love with the HTC Snap.

HTC brought their brand-spankin’-new HTC Snap for a little playtime at CTIA Wireless 2009, and we had a chance to give the new Windows Mobile smarpthone a good once over. Let’s start things off with the UI. After having experienced the HTC Magic and its customized Android OS, it’s hard going back to playing with Windows Mobile. But, seeing as how the HTC Snap looks so darn good and feels so natural in the hand, we were willing to give WinMo one more benefit of doubt. Turns out, the HTC Snap works quite well with Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard running the show – especially with the “Inner Circle” email management application.

The keyboard is the main attraction on the HTC Snap. The keys are rounded and slightly raised to give decent tactile feedback. We’d have like to have seen a bit more contour on the keys, but the keyboard’s slightly textured and perfectly spaced keys made it obvious that HTC invested some R&D time in the Snap’s keyboard design. Each key-press is accompanied by a satisfying click that isn’t too “smushy” or too harsh. The keyboard is like that perfectly heated bowl of porridge.

Then there’s the “Inner Circle” feature that HTC is debuting with the HTC Snap. You see that key with the green circle? That’s how you get to your Inner Circle mailbox. Inner Circle monitors all your email accounts for emails from your “inner circle” of friends and family. Rather than wading through hundreds of emails, Inner Circle finds your most important emails and puts them in one convenient place. HTC’s on something of a people-centric bender this year, and Inner Circle is just part of HTC’s push to make inter-personal communications more, well, personal.

The HTC Snap’s in-hand feel is almost unrivaled. About the thickness of an iPhone 3G and built just as sturdily, the Snap’s curvy body and beveled edges feels organic and comfortable – like it was made to sit in your hand all day. The battery cover is a little flimsy and pops off without too much effort, revealing a SIM and microSD card slot underneath. Both the SIM and microSD cards are hot-swappable – the battery doesn’t block access to either slot, so you don’t have to reboot every time you want to change storage cards or SIMs.

Unfortunately, the Snap sports a lowly 2-megapixel camera. The camera performs well, and is actually still being tweaked for better performance. We know the Snap isn’t a multimedia handset, but a higher-spec camera would have been nice.  The display is a bit disappointing as well. A larger, higher-resolution display isn’t too much to ask for in this day and age, but HTC decided to go with a 2.4-inch QVGA display on the Snap.

Overall, the Snap is a solid messaging device. Despite the smaller display and lower-resolution camera, the Snap boasts GPS, WiFi and 3G data connectivity – all the high-end smartphone features that you’d expect from more expensive smartphones. Given its likely mid-range price-point and messaging focus, we’re willing to forgive the Snap’s downfalls. And, for email-savvy smartphone consumers, the HTC Snap’s “Inner Circle” feature might be enough to win you over.