I had the HTC Touch VIVA previously and I’m pretty impressed at what it could do. However, there is something missing from the VIVA – 3G connection. However, do not be disappointed as HTC heard your pleas and launched the HTC Touch 3G last month. To the untrained eye, the HTC Touch 3G looks exactly the same as the HTC Touch VIVA but upon closer inspection, instead of the plastic shimmering material used on the Touch VIVA, the Touch 3G has a rubberized enclosure, giving a better and firmer grip to the device.

The design of the device is simple. There are only two buttons and a five way directional button located below the 2.8 inch QVGA screen. Like what I have said before, I liked the simplistic design as it is easier on the eyes as well as on the fingers.

Like all recent HTC devices, the Touch 3G is installed with its TouchFLO interface on top of Windows Mobile 6.1 professional. The TouchFLO interface gone through generations of improvements and the one installed on the Touch 3G is as smooth as hot knife through butter.

Equipped with a same sized screen as the Touch VIVA, the Touch 3G is a little beefier in term of specifications. It uses a Qualcomm MSM7225 processor clocked at 528MHz, a slightly better 3.2 megapixel camera and a tad more RAM than its sibling.

However, the most significant feature is its 3G connection. The 3G connectivity is mainly for data connections instead of 3G video calls. Reception on the Touch 3G was fairly good as compared to the other 3G phones in our pocket. I didn’t encounter sudden disconnection when I’m on 3G, which could only mean one thing, the connectivity between the Touch 3G and the telco is reliable.

If there was one thing I did not like about the Touch 3G, it has to be its small virtual QWERTY keypad. I found it difficult to type a message using my fingers. I had to whip the stylus out from its silo for the feat.

The Touch 3G is a great for those who liked the Touch VIVA but missed the 3G connectivity that they were longing for. With a more powerful processor and more RAM, the Touch 3G is a great device to replace your aging HTC Touch, or even the Touch Dual. Great device nevertheless.

The original HTC Touch was one of HTC’s best sellers during its heyday as it was small, powerful and most of all runs HTC’s Touch interface on top of Windows Mobile. There have been a few rebirths of the HTC Touch but the newest version, the HTC Touch Viva is one that will re-ignite the original Touch’s status. Built just like the original Touch, the Touch Viva is equipped with a 2.8 inch touch screen with QVGA resolution. Its design is simple and nice with no hidden hanky-panky on it. The only button is visible is the Call and End Call buttons, as well as the five way directional pad.

Running on Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional Edition, the HTC Touch Viva runs the HTC Touch interface like its other siblings. There were no lags in using the Touch interface at all and it performed even better than the more expensive HTC devices like the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro. However, bear in mind that they are running different version of the Touch interface. You will not get the cool animations found on the Touch interface.

Being an entry-level smart phone, the Touch Viva boasts a 2.0 megapixel camera that’s recessed into the enclosure. While this design is great for protecting the camera lens, dirt will eventually make its way through into the case, something of which most of us don’t want. The camera quality is not excellent but is sufficient enough for candid snapshots.

The virtual QWERTY keyboard was surprisingly good for fingers like mine. I was able to type a 150 word document using the virtual QWERTY keyboard with ease. I also like that you can hold your finger down, select the character you want and lift your finger. In my opinion, it’s more accurate to type like this on a touch sensitive phone.

I do not have many complaints about the HTC Touch Viva apart from the possibility of having dirt going into the case via the camera lens area. The Touch Viva is great for those who are tired of the usual phones they have been using and plans to upgrade to a smart phone but don’t want to spend that much. A must-buy for all smart phone beginners.