When HTC released the S710 it was a real surprise and quite innovative in terms of its design. It also offered increased usability when compared to the more advanced smartphones which although powerful didn't seem to be the most usable of devices. The option of a normal T9 keypad for texts or calls and a sliding QWERTY keypad for E-mails or documents was a great solution and proved to be relatively successfully with many taking the plunge and those who didn't applauding HTC's innovation.
The HTC S730 is now available and looks like a more than worthy successor to this very popular smartphone.

The HTC S730 still comes with the same dual-keypad design from its predecessor but the QWERTY keypad itself has been re-jigged a little to fit into the more streamlined feel to the rest of the phone. The main difference I the keypad is that the keys feel slightly larger yet a little flatter, probably to make for a tighter feel when the handset is closed to its normal position. There also seems to be a little bit of extra space just above the top row of keys which does make the top keys easier to access.

The only complaint that can be made regarding to the looks & build is in the colour used over the handset which is a very dull light grey that doesn't do anything for the looks of the S730. Considering that the colour is the only real image-wise gripe worth mentioning does say a lot abut the rest of the design & build, especially when you consider how academic looks are in pocket PC's.

The features, in particular on the connectivity side have undergone a mini-transformation from the S710. The older model possessed everything except 3G which for some was a bit of a sticking point, especially considering the increasing requirements of business users these days.
The S730 now predictably comes with 3G, but as a bonus HSDPA at 3.6Mbps has been implemented to enable super-fast data transfer speeds.

The other major upgrade to the S710 is in the underlying hardware. The processor has been doubled to 400 MHz as has the ROM to 256MB. Both of these upgrades were required to cope with the inevitable increase in demand on the device and as the implementation of both of these prove to be a wise move. The camera is still the same 2MP module from the S710, so nothing new to say here.

The HTC S730 is a worthy successor to its predecessor and looks like an ideal and relatively inexpensive introduction into the vast and complex world of mobile smartphones.