There is a slot for a microSD card, but it’s under the battery cover. And on the right side you’ll find the hardware camera button. On the top-right is the 3.5mm audio jack. The travel and feedback are also poor, so activating it is quite the nuisance. It is barely raised from the device, and therefore very difficult to find right off the bat. Along the top-left, HTC installed the power/lock key. Once you learn where they are and muscle memory kicks in, it’s not a problem finding the rocker at all. However, just like the Hero before it, we very much enjoyed this design decision, as we’re not fans of buttons sticking out of the sides of our devices. Much like the European HTC Hero, the rocker is pretty much flush with the side of the handset, making it initially hard to find. Along the left side, only the volume rocker is present. Looking at all sides of the device, you’ll find the microUSB port on the bottom. It’s very easy to hit the trackpad instead of Back or Menu, or vice versa, which causes undue stress and frustration. However, we will say that HTC’s decision to also make it flush with the handset, and therefore make it feel just like one of the hardware buttons was a mistake. The Slide features one of the best we’ve ever used, as its responsive, and big enough that using it isn’t a pain.
But we will say that we found ourselves wanting the Search key back, as we didn’t use the genius key nearly as much.Īs has happened with every other major handset release from HTC, the company has decided to drop their trackballs, and adopt the optical trackpad. Instead, T-Mobile and HTC decided to focus on the “genius” button, which we’ll cover a little later. It should also be noted that there’s actually not a Search key. Furthermore, they have very poor feedback and travel, and they’re lack of separation from one another makes it easy to hit the wrong button in your efforts. They’re shoved between the screen and curved bottom edge of the device, but they’re actually flush and not raised at all, making it somewhat difficult to press them if you’re not actively paying attention. Unfortunately, its these physical keys that put a big damper on the general good feeling of the Slide. In fact, we enjoyed both of them a great deal, and felt that the 0.2-inch difference between the original myTouch 3G and the Slide is a great (and much needed) improvement. We know that has a lot to do with the customized User Interface, and its closeness to HTC’s Sense UI, but we can’t sit here and tell you that the screen’s size or resolution are a bad thing. The screen’s resolution is 320×480, but don’t let that fool you: the colors (especially when the screen’s brightness is all the way up) are fantastic. Taking the device in your hand, you’ll notice that the Slide fits right in with other touchscreen devices: the 3.4-inch display takes up the majority of room, leaving just enough space for the earpiece and “myTouch” logo at the top, and the standard Android-based physical buttons. Truth be told, the device is very pocketable. The main differences would be the hardware keys just below the screen, and the inclusion of an optical trackpad (we’ll cover these a little later). As for the general look of the device, it’s almost identical to the original myTouch: the curves, lines, and even the general feel of the device feels reminiscent in a very good way. The added bulk (due primarily because of the hardware keyboard) and weight go a long way to make the phone feel more reliable and sturdy. However, past that initial shock, the phone actually feels quite nice in the hand. And, given the plastic aesthetic to the device, it can be quite deceiving.
The first time you pull the myTouch 3G Slide out of the box, the first thing you’ll notice (with the battery installed), the phone is heavy.