The HTC Imagio is rich with both multimedia and business features, making it a great all-in-one smartphone for the Verizon globe-trotter.
Nicole Lee
Nicole Lee is a senior associate editor for CNET, covering cell phones, Bluetooth headsets, and all things mobile. She's also a fan of comic books, video games, and of course, shiny gadgets.
The HTC Imagio is Verizon Wireless's first Windows Mobile 6.5 smartphone and the carrier's first smartphone to offer V Cast Mobile TV, Verizon's live mobile TV service. It is also one of a few smartphones to support the V Cast array of multimedia services. The Imagio is a slate-style phone without a keyboard, and is available for $199.99 with a two-year contract and a $100 mail-in rebate.
Measuring 4.6 inches tall by 2.4 inches wide by 0.5 inch thick and weighing 5.25 ounces, the Imagio has quite a sturdy construction and is not at all flimsy or cheap. The back is partially covered in a matte-black soft-touch plastic material that gives it a comfortable feel in the hand.
The HTC Imagio's 5-megapixel camera takes fairly good quality shots. We like the auto focus, and especially the "touch focus" mode, which gets the camera to focus in on wherever you tap on the screen.
There is a zoom in/out bar underneath the display, which you can use by sliding your finger along the bar to zoom in and out of Web pages, for example.
Even though this is a small detail, we have to say we really love the kickstand on the back of the Imagio. It's also an antenna. Just pop it out and set it on any flat surface, and you can watch video on the Imagio as if it were a portable television. It's the small little details like this that can often make a product interesting.
Though you don't need a stylus to use the HTC Imagio, you might want to use it anyway in case you don't want to get the screen too dirty. So there's a handy stylus compartment at the bottom of the Imagio just in case you want one.
We quite like the onscreen keyboard on the HTC Imagio. There's XT9 auto word complete for faster texting, and we found the keys to be quite responsive as well. There's also haptic feedback if you want it. We do think that the landscape keyboard is a bit easier to use since the keys are bigger, which result in fewer mistakes.
The HTC Imagio is a little on the thick and bulky side, so it might not be as pocketable as other slim phones. Still, it's quite thin as far as multimedia smartphones go.
