HTC Merge (photos)

The HTC Merge has a 3.8-inch WVGA screen that looks nice and bright, although it's not the top of the market. The Merge uses HTC's Sense interface.

Heavy in the hand (7 ounces!), metal finishings lend the Merge its noticeable heft.

Sometimes our hands slipped when trying to open the sliding mechanism, sometimes we had no problems.

Typing was fine with the keyboard's smallish buttons, but we've felt snappier. We do, however, like the indicator lights above the keyboard, and the customizable A1 shortcut key.

A partially brushed-metal backing gives the Merge a more premium feel.

HTC's phones are rarely boring to behold.

Although this is a CDMA-only phone in NOrth America, you can slip a GSM SIM card into the dual-mode Merge when traveling abroad.