Verizon HTC Touch Pro2 photos

Verizon Wireless is the third U.S. carrier to offer the HTC Touch Pro2. T-Mobile was the first and then Sprint, but one advantage Verizon has on the competitors is a lower entry price. The carrier offers the smartphone for $199.99 with a two-year contract (compared to $349.99), but be aware you will need to get a qualifying data plan as well.

The Verizon HTC Touch Pro2 has a similar design to the other versions of the smartphone, but not that we're complaining since we love the extra-large touch screen and roomy QWERTY keyboard.

The HTC Touch Pro2 is thicker than most smartphones on the market today, but it has a solid construction and the tapered edges make it slightly sleeker.

Given the larger size, the Touch Pro2 isn't the most pocket-friendly device so we suggest getting a belt holster if you want to carry it on your person.

The smartphone also has a touch-sensitive zoom bar below the display that makes it much easier to zoom in/out of photos and Web pages.

Like the Sprint model, the Verizon HTC Touch Pro2 has a 3.5mm headphone jack on bottom of the device next to the mini USB port/power connector.

There are some slight variations among all the different models of the HTC Touch Pro2. For example, the Verizon version has different shortcuts on the QWERTY keyboard and a Sleep button on top of the device.

The Touch Pro2 has one of the best keyboards we've used to date, and there are plenty of messaging options with support for Microsoft Direct Push Technology, POP3 and IMAP accounts, and text and multimedia messaging.

The Touch Pro2 is a dual-mode phone, which allows for world roaming. Here in the States, the smartphone will work on Verizon's CDMA network just like usual but will then automatically detect and switch to a compatible GSM network when traveling overseas. Verizon ships the smartphone with a SIM card but note that you can't swap it out for an AT&T or T-Mobile SIM for domestic use.

On back, you'll find the smartphone's 3.2-megapixel camera, speakerphone (with a world map pattern), and a mute button. The Touch Pro2 uses HTC's Straight Talk Technology, which claims to enhance the sound of the speakerphone. We thought speakerphone calls sounded great but our friends said audio was a bit tinny.

Picture quality wasn't all that impressive. Even after messing with the white balance and brightness settings, indoor shots came out somewhat grainy and with an amber tone.