Small, sexy, and boasting a novel touch interface, the Touch was heralded in breathless headlines as the "iPhone Killer" even before it reached our shores. But it really doesn't live up to that hype.

Rather than showing up the iPhone, the Touch shows how much Apple got right. The iPhone was designed from the ground up to be a great touch-interface phone. The HTC Touch, on the other hand, is a Windows Mobile 6 smartphone with a clever touch interface grafted on top.

It's works fine for certain applications, but dig down and you quickly find its limits.

The HTC Touch measures 3.9 x 2.8 x 0.5 inches and weighs 4.0 ounces. It's a candy bar-style phone that feels good in the hand, with it's rounded edges, soft rubbery shell, and surprising thinness. It's skinny enough to fit in a loose pair of pants-but be careful that you don't damage the exposed screen.

For a phone that can do so much, the Touch has a pleasantly sparse exterior. The front is dominated by the 2.8-inch screen (240 x 320 resolution, 65,536 colors), with no buttons above it, and only two buttons (call start and end) and a clickable navigation pad below it.

The left side holds a volume slider switch, while the right side holds the camera button, the stylus, and a flap which hides the SIM card and microSD storage card. You need to remove the back cover to open the flap, which is awkward. The Touch comes with a 1GB microSD card, for storing contacts, photos, music, and files.

Its top holds just the power switch (give it a long tap to turn it off, or a short one to put it in standby mode), while the bottom holds the mini-USB connector. On the back you'll find the lens for the included 2 megapixel camera, as well as a small self-portrait mirror.

Connectivity
The unlocked European version of the Touch, which can be bought through Amazon for about $500, is a tri-mode GSM/GPRS phone (900, 1800, 1900) which we tested with an AT&T SIM card. The Sprint version sells for $249 after two-year commitment and rebates, and is a dual-mode CDMA (850, 1900).

With either model, we found that calls were clear throughout our testing in the New York City area, and we never had a dropped call. The unlocked model doesn't offer 3G, unfortunately, so users need to rely on EDGE data.

The Sprint model, on the other hand, has been upgraded to the company's 3G EV-DO cellular-data network.

So why get the unlocked version, when it costs more and surfs slower?

Well, the unlocked Touch includes Wi-Fi, which is a big plus if you have an open connection. The Sprint version lacks WiFi support.

Both version offer Bluetooth. Supported profiles include A2DP for Bluetooth stereo headsets, as well as hands-free kits, object exchange, and file sharing.

Speaking of connectivity, we liked the included Comm Manager program (available on both models), which makes it easy to manage connectivity settings. Use it to turn Wi-Fi (on the unlocked model) and Bluetooth on and off easily, as well as flight mode, push e-mail, a data connection, and phone service.

It's a handy one-stop spot for managing your connectivity options.

Getting In Touch with Touch
The main selling point for the Touch, and the reason for all the iPhone comparisons, is its TouchFlo interface. TouchFlo lets you draw a finger up from the bottom of the screen—probably a thumb, since that's the easiest if you're holding it in one hand—to open the large-buttoned touch-friendly TouchFlo interface. Graphics show the TouchFlo interface sliding up as you slide your finger, which makes using it fun.

TouchFlo includes three separate screens, and you rotate between them by sliding a fingers across the screen to the left or right.

The first screen is a launcher which gives quick access to six commonly use apps: e-mail, SMS/MMS, Internet Explorer, Tasks, Comm Manager, and Calendar on the unlocked model, and Software Store, IM, Internet Explorer, SMS, Comm Manager, and Mailbox on the Sprint version.

The second screen is an even bigger-buttoned launcher with access to three media apps: music, photos, and videos on the unlocked version, and Sprint Music, Sprint TV, and On Demand on the Sprint version.

Finally, the third screen, which is the same for both, gives access to your phone controls. It offers a nine-button visual favorites list, which you can personalize by taking ID snapshots of your favorite contacts. Below the contact list are four phone command buttons for calling up the dial pad, opening your calling log, opening your contact list, and adding or deleting from your visual contact list.

The TouchFlo interface worked smoothly in our testing and it was fun to see the menus change from one to another, which looks like a rotating 3D cube. But the problem starts when you load an application from TouchFlo.

Most of the applications on the phone are your basic Windows Mobile 6 tools. They require a stylus to use them and aren't especially finger-friendly. So even though you can choose your applications with the cool TouchFlo interface, you can't do anything except dial the phone with only a finger. Try to tap out a message or enter a Web address with your thumb and you'll make a lot of errors.

That's why the Touch will never surpass the iPhone. The iPhone's touch interface works with every application, and they were all designed or redesigned to work with finger input.

But the HTC Touch is simply a cool touchable interface that provides a gateway to the usual Windows apps. You'll need to dig out the stylus to use them and that takes away a lot of the usefulness of the touch interface.

Performance
While we didn't think the Touch's features live up to the hype, it's still a solid performer. We liked the attractive Start screen, which is neatly organized to show you the time and the number of e-mail, text, and phone messages you've gotten. It also provides quick access to a customizable launcher, weather forecast, and more.

The battery, though, drained quickly. The unlocked version is rated for 5 hours of talk time or 200 hours of standby, while the Sprint claims a more accurate 3.5 hours of talk and 240 hours of standby. With either model, it emptied after only a day of regular use.

If you have the e-mail app set to check for new mail a few times an hour and you use the phone occasionally though the day, you'll need to charge the phone every night.

The HTC Touch is a slim and useful smartphone for people looking for an iPhone alternative, but its good looks-and novel features-are only skin deep when compared to Apple's smartphone.