HTC Merge hands-on (photos)

The HTC Merge made an appearance at CTIA 2011. The dual-mode (CDMA/GSM) world phone is expected to hit North American carriers this spring.

The Merge features a slider design with a 3.8-inch touch screen and full QWERTY keyboard. In the hand, the phone had a premium feel to it and when closed, it's not too bulky or heavy. The slider wasn't the smoothest, but it was sturdy and solid.

The Merge's four-row keyboard is pretty easy to use with good-size buttons and a decent amount of spacing between them.

On top, there's a 3.5mm headphone jack and power/lock button.

On the side, you get a volume rocker and Micro-USB port.

The smartphone is equipped with a 5-megapixel with flash, and it's capable of capturing 720p HD video.

With the dual-mode functionality, the HTC Merge will be able to work on domestic CDMA networks and then automatically switch over to the international GSM networks when you travel overseas. The smartphone also runs Android 2.2 with HTC Sense and is powered by an 800MHz processor.