This phone is nice, don't get me wrong. The HTC Magic ($79.99 3yr, $599.99 no term) fits well in the hand, the touchscreen is decent, and it's smaller, sleeker and smoother than your average HTC smart phone, which tend to feel slightly awkward to the touch because of their size, style and brushed steel.
Unfortunately, those are the only benefits to this particular HTC device over others. The touchscreen, smaller than other HTC phones like the Desire or the now nearly defunct Nexus One, somehow also feels less responsive; and, certainly, slower. Typing on it with thumbs is awkward and inaccurate, though it may just be my obese digits. It also has the older generation trackball, as opposed to an optical sensor, and a cluttered bottom-front with six external non-touch buttons - way more than newer HTC devices, and way more than you need.
At first, I assumed this Rogers phone was cheaper than Telus's Desire. I was mistaken. It's the same price - on an onerous three-year plan - and more expensive when you buy the phone at full-cost, by about $50. That's simply unacceptable. If you're shopping for a new smart phone this fall, you might as well make sure it's one that will hold up partly through the duration of your contract. Not one that already feels dated. For Rogers customers upgrading from a regular non-"smart" cellphone, it's a solidly decent upgrade to a touchscreen model, and still cheaper on contract than many of Rogers' other smart phones.
The non-techie user, or first time smart phone user, is unlikely to be disappointed by this phone. And, like other HTC devices, the Magic runs Google's Android operating system, which in my mind is way more pleasant to use than either Apple's OS or the BlackBerry OS. But if you have the option for other HTC devices, you may want to consider them first.