HTC has launched its most user-friendly handset to date as it tries to compete against Apple's iPhone.

The new device, called the HTC Diamond will, according to Peter Chou, the company's CEO, put usability first.

"2007 was clearly about touch, 2008/2009 in no longer about touch. HTC plans to take the mobile internet usable and fun."

The phone, which has been in development since 2007, will feature an update to the TouchFlo interface by making it 3D and run Windows Mobile 6.1.

The TouchFlo 3D UI will, according to the company, give you more "emotion".

The interface looks very similar to the OHA Android platform allowing users to touch menu options that are on the bottom of the screen.

Interfaces are very graphical in their approach rather than list upon list.

The browser, which will be Opera powered rather than Internet Explorer, will allow you to zoom into web pages as well as offer landscape browsing.

"Internet Explorer 6 for Mobile 6.1 wasn't ready in time for the launch", said a spokesman for Microsoft, however refused to be drawn into whether the company would be offering a software date.

In addition to being able to browse with "one touch" the HTC Diamond will also resize the text to fit on to the page.

On the tech specs, as we reported this morning, the phone will feature HSDPA 7.2Mb and fit in the palm of your hand.

Music lovers will be disappointed however, there will be no dedicated 3.5mm headphone jack.

HTC has said that battery life will be better than its previous models such as the HTC Touch. Microsoft has said that Mobile 6.1 handsets will have a 21% improvement over Mobile 6 OS devices.

Making a dig at Apple Chou said: "We don't need two hands, just one hand and one finger".

Unlike Apple and its exclusive deal with O2, the Diamond will be available on all five operators in the UK when it launches in June in Europe and Asia. US readers will get the phone later in the year.

Orange has said that it will be customising the handset from a software point of view offing music, downloads, games and mobile TV.

Full specs are:

HTC Touch Diamond Key Specifications
Size: 102 x 51 x 11.33mm
Weight: 110 g
Connectivity: WCDMA / HSPA: 900/2100MHz. HSDPA 7.2 Mbps and HSUPA
Operating system: Windows Mobile® 6.1 Professional
Display: 2.8-inch VGA touch screen
Camera: 3.2MP, with video calling
Internal memory: 4 GB Internal Storage, 256 MB flash, 192 MB RAM,
Bluetooth: 2.0 with EDR
Wireless: WiFi 802.11b/g
GPS: GPS/AGPS
Interface: HTC ExtUSB

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