Updated: read our HTC Mini HD review.

HTC might have released two behemoths in the Legend and Desire, but it's shown it wants to keep a hand in the Windows Mobile game by releasing the compact-yet-powerful HTC HD Mini.

The phone has measurements of 103.8mm x 57mm x 11.7mm, and while it's not the slimmest or tiniest mobile on the market, it certainly has some decent ideas behind it to make sure it's not seen as lagging behind its high profile Android brothers.

The first element is the industrial design, with a smooth black metal chassis held in place by four obvious screws.

HTC told us that this was actually fairly hard to design, as the supporting screws are usually in more random places, and it was quite a task to get it put together in this way.

The phone has a 3.2-inch capacitive screen, which looks a little smaller than that on the HTC Legend, although that's mostly down to the smaller chassis.

The screen is multi-touch enabled, and certainly plays well under the finger, responding instantly to any input you care to throw at it.

The home screen isn't as well stocked as its Android brethren, as there's no Friend Stream element added in.

However, you do get a dedicated Twitter client in the shape of Peep, and we'd imagine most people will be happy to have their social networks separated.

There's a 5MP camera on the back of the HTC HD Mini, with the speaker next to it to continue the industrial design theme, although there's no flash. However, the camera is autofocus enabled, and will work well enough to capture day to day imaging - just don't throw out your dedicated compact.

Windows Mobile is still in the 6.5.3 version, which is a lot more finger friendly, but still is light years away from where it needs to be (Microsoft, hurry up with Windows Phone 7 Series phones).

The touch sensitive panels on the front of the phone offer easy access to the main functions of the device, but don't really do it justice when it comes to quick navigation as it can be a little unresponsive.

Sliding up and down the hexagonal menu view works nicely, and the icons are much easier to hit than on resistive screens - so we're pleased HTC is the pioneer in the WinMo-capacitive display movement.