One device getting a surprising amount of exposure at CTIA Wireless it the HTC Snap. Why am I surprised? Because it runs on Windows Mobile 6.1 which of which most tech enthusiasts are not that fond. However, it has a GREAT QWERTY keyboard which some are calling the best they’ve ever used.

A video demo of the HTC Snap briefly shows the device’s EMail using the new “Inner Circle” feature which allows users to “sort” their communication – whether emails, phone calls, voice mails or text messages – by the Top 6 people they communicate with the most frequently:

The screen on the HTC Snap is NOT a touchscreen, but then again you’re buying it for the QWERTY now aren’t you? You’re SURELY not buying it for Windows Mobile 6.1.

And some specs for your perousal:

• Qualcomm MSM 7225, 528 Mhz
• Windows Mobile 6.1
• 256 MB ROM, 192 MB RAM
• Expandable via microSDHC
• 4.59″x2.42″x.47″ (LxWxT)
• 4.23 Ounces
• 2.4″ QVGA (320×240) display
• HSDPA/WCDMA 900/2100 Mhz (HTC Snap) or HSDPA/WCDMA 850/1900 Mhz (HTC S522)
• GSM/GPRS/EDGE 900/1800/1900 MHz
• Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR
• 802.11g WiFi
• GPS/AGPS
• 2.0 megapixel camera
• 1500mAh battery
• 8.5 or 5 hour talk time (GSM, WCDMA respectively), 15.8 days or 20 days standby (same)

Here is the HTC Snap Press Release:

LAS VEGAS – April 1, 2009 – HTC Corporation today debuted its newest QWERTY smartphone, the HTC Snap™. Designed with a set of features selected to deliver everything customers need without overwhelming them with things they don’t, the HTC Snap makes it easier than ever to stay in contact with life’s most important people.

A recent study conducted by Harris Interactive® and commissioned by HTC* found that 44% of US adults are often overwhelmed by the amount of email they receive, and over half (55%) of US adults prioritize five or fewer people with whom they communicate via email. In response to these issues, HTC’s innovative Inner Circle feature allows HTC Snap users to press a dedicated Inner Circle key to bring emails from a preselected group of people to the top of their inbox, enabling important messages to be acted upon immediately.

“Recognizing that people are being overwhelmed by an avalanche of email, the HTC Snap introduces Inner Circle, an HTC innovation that makes it easy for people to prioritize messages from the most important people in their lives at the press of a button,” said John Wang, Chief Marketing Officer, HTC Corporation. “The HTC Snap represents the latest step in HTC’s mission to create a range of innovative smartphones, each with specific benefits designed to both surprise and delight our customers.”

With a slim, sleek profile designed to fit perfectly in the hand, the HTC Snap measures less than a half-inch thick (12 mm), yet it can deliver up to eight and a half hours of talk time with the standard 1500mAh battery. The full QWERTY keyboard is ergonomically designed with extra-large domed keys and responsive tactile feedback to make typing emails and text messages fast, accurate and comfortable. High-speed 3G HSPA connectivity makes it quick and easy to send pictures to friends, access favorite social networking sites, or download large files while on the go.

The HTC Snap is powerful enough for experienced business users looking for an affordable, straightforward choice for remotely synchronizing email, calendar and contacts with their Microsoft Exchange server. However, the flexible Microsoft Windows Mobile® 6.1 Standard platform allows the HTC Snap to also be simple enough for first-time smartphone users wanting to keep their family life organized.

The HTC Snap is expected to be available in select channels during the second quarter of 2009, rolling out in markets around the world throughout the second half of the year. Additionally, an unlocked version supporting HSDPA at 850/1900MHz for the US market will be made available under the name HTC S522 during the summer.