Archive for the ‘HTC’ Category
HTC announces Windows Phone 7 series smartphones
February 15th, 2010 by admin in HTC
HTC Corporation, a global designer of smartphones, today announced plans to bring Microsoft’s next generation of Windows® Phones, the Windows Phone 7 Series, to market later this year. The revolutionary new software offers a fresh approach to smartphones by bringing web content and applications together to create a phone experience that is very personal, relevant and connected. With this news, HTC builds on its Windows Phone leadership and extends its commitment to offering customers the most innovative mobile phone experiences available.
“Windows Phone 7 Series is a significant milestone for Microsoft, the industry and ultimately people looking to do more on their phones. HTC is working closely with Microsoft to bring the unique HTC experience that customers love,” said Peter Chou, chief executive officer of HTC Corporation. “Microsoft has clearly listened to feedback from people and brought a new, fresh approach to the smartphone experience that is beautiful, powerful and compelling.”
Announced today at Mobile World Congress 2010, 7 Series offers a new approach to phone software, distinguished by smart design and truly integrated experiences that bring to the surface the content people care about from the web and applications. For the first time ever, Microsoft will bring together the Xbox LIVE games and the Zune music and video experience to the mobile phone, exclusively on 7 Series phones.
“People are moving faster than ever, juggling more priorities and turning to technology to manage it all. Windows Phone 7 Series simplifies common tasks by bringing together related content from the web, applications and services into a single view to make life easier,” said Andy Lees, senior vice president of Mobile Communication Business at Microsoft. “We are pleased to work closely with HTC, a global leader in mobile phone technology and design, to bring new Windows phones to customers around the world.”
HTC is about to make Legend available
January 27th, 2010 by admin in Google, HTC
HTC seems to be on a roll with an entire slew of new and upcoming smartphones heading our way, and another interesting model would be the HTC Legend which boasts an unibody aluminum casing alongside plastic inserts for the cover to be easily removable, making it a snap to access the SIM card carriage, microSD memory card slot and battery. Word also has it that the Legend will sport a 5.0-megapixel camera, an AMOLED display at a high 480 x 800 resolution count and an optical sensor trackpad similar to the one found on the Bravo. Let us keep our fingers crossed that Android 2.1 will ship with the Legend…
HTC HD2 Almost Certainly Getting Windows Mobile 7
January 17th, 2010 by admin in HTC
Smartphone users who want to buy a device that they know will get an upgrade to Windows Mobile 7 when it’s released this fall should seriously consider the HTC HD2 — sources at HTC have said this device will be getting an upgrade to the next major version of this operating system from Microsoft.
HTC Russia recently promised that the HD2 will be getting Windows Mobile 7, and warned that this would be the only current model from this company to do so. This message came in the form of a Tweet, which was quickly removed.
In addition, Terry Snelling on the HTC customer support team reportedly e-mailed a customer a promise that the HD2 will be getting the version 7 upgrade when it becomes available in November.
What’s Coming in Windows Mobile 7?
There has been no official word from HTC on upgrades to the next version of Windows Mobile because Microsoft has not yet formally announced it. This might happen at the Mobile World Congress next month, though.
At this point, few specifics are known, but it is reportedly going to make Windows phones more appealing to consumers with a new look that offers much greater support for fingertip control and capacitive touchscreens.
An Overview of the HTC HD2
The HD2 (AKA the HTC Leo) is possibly the most cutting-edge model available today with Microsoft’s mobile operating system; it has 1 GHz processor, and sports a 4.3-inch WVGA capacitive display with multi-touch support.
It was one of the first devices on the market with Microsoft’s Windows Mobile 6.5 Pro, but it has a new version of HTC’s custom user interface layered on top. This used to be called TouchFLO, but has just been renamed HTC Sense to reflect a greater focus on consumers.
It lacks a hardware keyboard, but that’s just about the only feature it doesn’t have.
The HTC HD2 is the first Windows Mobile smartphone with a capacitive display that supports multi-touch, so users can resize websites, Microsoft Office files, PDF documents and pictures easier with a pinch of their fingers.
This 4.3-inch display is the largest yet on a smartphone running Microsoft’s OS, and has a WVGA (800×480) resolution.
Naturally, the HD2 has mobile broadband (7.2 Mbps HSDPA), plus it includes Wi-Fi b/g and Bluetooth 2.1. It is even be able to act as a Wi-Fi router for another computer.
It also includes a whopping 448 MB of RAM, a 5 MPx camera with auto-focus, a microSD card reader, GPS receiver, 1,230 mAh battery, and a 3.5 mm headset jack.
This HTC device comes with Windows Mobile’s standard collection of mobile apps: Outlook, Office, Media Player. Opera Mobile is the default web browser.
Coming to T-Mobile USA
The HD2 was launched in Europe and Asia this fall, and currently is available in the U.S. only from gray-market retails.
However, T-Mobile USA announced last week that it will be releasing this high-end smartphone at some point in the spring.
HTC announces ‘Smart’ phone set for Spring
January 7th, 2010 by admin in HTC
HTC has unveiled the Smart, available across Europe and Asia this Spring.
The handset, which runs of Qualcomm’s Brew platform, comes with the manufacturer’s HTC Sense interface, which works a user’s particular social networking and communications services into a customisable homescreen.
The handset has a 2.8-inch touchscreen, HSDPA, a three megapixel camera with fixed focus and flashlight, and a microSD card slot for expandable memory.
HTC chief executive officer Peter Chou said: “HTC has always focussed on listening to customers and setting the stage for new mobile categories and HTC Smart is the response to customer demand around the world for an easier-to-use affordable smartphone.
“Just adding a touch interface doesn’t mean a phone is a smartphone. The integration of HTC Sense brings an unparalleled smartphone experience for people looking to do more on their phone.”
Details on retail and network availability will be announced in due course.
HTC 2010 Product Roadmap: Legends, Salsa, Buzz
December 11th, 2009 by admin in HTC
The folks at Android and Me have what is purportedly the product roadmap for HTC going into the new year. The eight phones are divided into four product categories: Design/Lifestyle, Performance, Productivity and Social. Let’s dive in, shall we?
In design/Lifestyle there’s the Legend and the Salsa, due out in March and June 2010, respectively.
Then there’s the Performance line, populated by the Bravo and its 3.7-in. OLED capacitive touchscreen.
The Social scene is comprised of the Tide and the Buzz, due out in April and May 2010.
I think they’re social because they come with Twitter and Facebook onboard, which is what passes for being social with a cell phone these days. I kid. The Buzz is the first image up top.
Lastly, in the Productivity category there’s the Photon, Trophy and Tera, each due out in April and May (no date for the Tera, however). All three phones are Windows Mobile 6.5.
Plan for HTC Products for 2010: Legends, Salsa, Buzz
December 6th, 2009 by admin in HTC
The folks at Android and Me have what is purportedly the product roadmap for HTC going into the new year. The eight phones are divided into four product categories: Design/Lifestyle, Performance, Productivity and Social. Let’s dive in, shall we?
In design/Lifestyle there’s the Legend and the Salsa, due out in March and June 2010, respectively.
Then there’s the Performance line, populated by the Bravo and its 3.7-in. OLED capacitive touchscreen.
The Social scene is comprised of the Tide and the Buzz, due out in April and May 2010.
I think they’re social because they come with Twitter and Facebook onboard, which is what passes for being social with a cell phone these days. I kid. The Buzz is the first image up top.
Lastly, in the Productivity category there’s the Photon, Trophy and Tera, each due out in April and May (no date for the Tera, however). All three phones are Windows Mobile 6.5.
HTC Advantage X7510 review
May 19th, 2008 by admin in HTC
The HTC Advantage is a tweener: it’s not a UMPC like the HTC Shift and Fujitsu U810 because it doesn’t run a full version of Windows. It’s not a smartphone because it’s too large to hold to the head, and in fact you can only use it for phone conversations with the included wired headset, built-in speakerphone or a Bluetooth headset. And it’s not the first handheld computer with the Advantage name: HTC launched the Advantage X7500 last spring and the US version X7501 in mid-summer 2007. So now you know what it’s not…
The HTC Advantage X7510 is nonetheless many things. It’s a powerful handheld computer running Windows Mobile Pro with a 5″ VGA touch screen, detachable keyboard, unlocked quad band GSM phone with triband HSDPA, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0, a 3MP autofocus camera, a 624MHZ processor and 16 gigs of storage. It’s the update with a new keyboard design, double the storage, Windows Mobile 6.1 and the amazing Opera 9.5 web browser that’s not yet available for any other device besides HTC’s own Touch Diamond. It’s a GPS. The Advantage is a laptop replacement for those who don’t need Windows XP or Vista specific programs: it has mobile versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Internet Explorer, Outlook and more. And with WAN, LAN and PAN (that’s cellular, WiFi and Bluetooth in English) connections, the Advantage is perfect for those who need to stay connected wherever they go. Though large for a phone or even PDA, it’s tiny by even UMPC standards and weighs just over 13 ounces (a few 10th of an ounce heavier than the first generation Advantage).
Because relatively little has changed with the X7510, we won’t do a detailed review. Please read our original Advantage review for all the gory details. Sadly, because of the Qualcomm lawsuit and injunction, the Advantage X7510 will not be sold in the US. This has nothing to do directly with HTC, but rather Qualcomm filed suit to have certain chips and mobile CPUs blocked for sale in the US and the X7510 got caught in that mess. Though its CPU and chipset are no different from the US X7501 that shipped last summer, the X7501 was cleared for US sale because it already received the green light before the embargo began. A shame really, but you’ll have to buy the X7510 from online importers, of which there are many.
For those of you who aren’t uber-geeks, HTC is based in Taiwan and they manufacture most of the Windows Mobile PDA phones and smartphones sold in the US. The Advantage’s codename is Athena, and the X7510 is the ATHE400 variant. Overseas in Europe and Asia, the original Advantage X7500 was and is sold unlocked by electronics retailers and by carriers as well. No US carrier has offered the Advantage and likely none will thanks to the Qualcomm injunction.
New Touch Dual from HTC
May 11th, 2008 by admin in HTC
Last year, HTC, the world’s leading provider of Microsoft Windows Mobile smart devices, launched Touch Dual.
This new and more powerful member of the Touch family offers the best of both worlds—3.5G wireless connectivity with highly-sensitive, full-function touch screen and a sleek and innovative sliding keypad design.
The Touch Dual is the second device to feature HTC’s TouchFLO, the same gesture-recognition technology as that in the HTC Touch, but now the new functionality including the ability to view photo slideshows using on-screen controls and to zoom and rotate images with only a hand.
TouchFLO also allows enhanced finger touch scrolling and browsing of web pages, documents, messages and contact lists.
Touch Dual is about two inches by four inches so, when sideways, it can fit in an adult’s palm. It’s just over a half inch thick, a little meatier than the average smartphone. Plus, the Touch Dual is easy to grip.
The top portion is taken up by a tall 2.8 inch glass-like screen, two buttons and a flat control. The two vertical buttons, the equivalent of traditional stop and go buttons, glow red and green when they are available.
The flat control, which serves as an all-purpose menu joystick, is a square metal button surrounded by a touch-sensitive border.
For the traditional phone lovers, it may take a while longer to adjust to the buttons. But once you get the hang of it, there’s no stopping your fingers from browsing the menus, downloading music or photos, transferring data or simply playing games.
The bottom portion of the phone, once you slide it up, is just the keyboard, a flat-surfaced collection of buttons made of a light, crystal-like material.
The keyboard isn’t as wide as, say, the full-sized Sidekick, but isn’t as tiny as the average phone.
HTC also kept the ports and quick controls simple. On the left side are the volume buttons and the mini-USB/power port. On the right is a well-disguised camera quick key and an equally well-hidden stylus holder (the instrument can be removed by pulling the small notch on the stylus itself).
The Touch Dual comes in a durable, high-end black rectangular box that seems more fitting for a Gucci purchase (the lid doesn’t even need to be removed – it uses magnets to close).
The included accessories are equally impressive: the phone, wall plug, mini-USB cord, iPhone-quality earphones.
The main menu screen has colorful icons representing ring preferences, applications, phone brightness, orientation (vertical or horizontal), security features and so on.
Press the flat control to move along the menu… or use the stylus to double tap.
In fact, the main challenge with the phone may be thinking you are missing something when, in fact, HTC is just trying really hard to satisfy your every whim.
Like a stylus? Use it. Like joysticks? You can use that, too.
HTC even added a skin-sensitive touchscreen to the mix. Use your thumb to rub up from the bottom of the screen and a touch-controlled “menu cube” will appear.
Rub left or right to access different menu options, such as email, SMS, Internet Explorer and phone book. This method seemed fast, intuitive, fun, and, perhaps, somewhat excessive.
Text messaging and emailing seemed smooth on the device, primarily because of the smartly-designed keyboard.
But the user will be surprised if he decides to use the touch screen for sms. Touch Dual actually has several options for text inputing—the normal QWERTY buttons, the average cellphone buttons, more taps and the numbers will appear, or the letters will be capitalized.
The Windows Media Player is the HTC Dual Touch multimedia hub. Once the phone is plugged in, Windows will ask if you want to create a folder for the phone.
You can then drag and drop music, playlists and videos onto the HTC icon. The average song, however, took a few seconds to transfer. And receiving data via the built-in Bluetooth is even longer.
For all the bells and whistles, playing multimedia on the Dual Touch is simple: play/pause, rewind and fast forward options, along with an onscreen volume control and music details listing.
The sound is also good, especially if you use the earphone. The built-in speakers are not that loud as compared to other music phones.
The 2.0 Megapixel camera lacks a flash, a surprisingly omission for a phone of this caliber, but otherwise the HTC Dual Touch does the job.
Press the camera button on the side – or go through the menus – and the screen turns into a viewfinder. You can attach the photo, save it in memory and so on.
One odd function is what may be described as a rapid-fire option: the camera will take five photos in rapid succession, allowing you to save the best ones.
The HTC Dual Touch is a good looking, adaptable phone that is unlike anything on the market. Practical users will be annoyed with the overbearing options and abundant functions, but hardcore phone lovers will be happy to discover all its little tricks.
New affordable Touchscreen phone with GPS from HTC
May 11th, 2008 by admin in HTC
HTC Corp., the world’s leading provider of Microsoft Windows Mobile smart devices, announced the launch of the HTC P3470. Combining a lightweight design, large screen, Copilot navigation software and strong battery life, the P3470 sets a new standard in affordable smartphone, GPS-based devices.
At just 108mm tall, the HTC P3470 offers unbeatable value as one of the most compact devices in HTC’s portfolio, featuring a broad range of functionality that today’s consumers desire.
The HTC P3470 enables an easy to use and simple interface for accessing web pages, documents, messages, contact lists and more.
The HTC P3470 features Copilot software, the best sat-nav solution for phones.
The intuitive interface, clear instructions and easy call handling make it the ideal software navigation solution for the P3470.
The touch interface and large 2.8 inch screen ensure the AGPS-enabled sat-nav is easy to use.
“Phones with satellite navigation capabilities are witnessing increasing demand in the Middle East, even as mobile penetration rates continue to rise steadily,” said Kevin Chen, General Manager, HTC Middle East and Africa and CIS. “The HTC P3470 integrates GPS-location into an innovative and high-powered phone that brings location-based experiences to customers looking for power and affordability. We are very pleased to announce this addition to the product portfolio, continuing our commitment to provide an option for every user”.
Key features
- Size: 108 x 58.3 x 15.7 mm
- Weight: 122 g
- Connectivity: GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
- Operating system: Windows Mobile 6® Professional
- Display: 2.8-inch QVGA flat touch screen
- Camera: 2 megapixel with macro focus
- Internal memory: 256 MB flash, 128 MB RAM
- Removable memory: microSDTM slot
- Bluetooth: 2.0 with EDR
- GPS: GPS & aGPS
- Interface: HTC ExtUSBTM (mini-USB and audio jack in one; USB 2.0 Full-Speed)
- Battery: 1100 mAh
- Talk time: GSM: up to 350 minutes (estimated)
- Standby time: GSM: up to 240 hours (estimated)
- Chipset: TI OMAP 850, 200MHz
HTC Unveils iPhone Rival
May 6th, 2008 by admin in HTC
HTC is taking the widely popular Apple iPhone to task with Tuesday’s introduction of the HTC Touch Diamond, a compact touch screen device that is smaller than its chief rival and beats the iPhone to the 3G network.
The device, which measures 102 mm by 51 mm by 11.33 mm and weighs in at 110 g, is smaller than the iPhone and will be available in North America later this year and earlier in other parts of the world.
HTC isn’t new to the touch screen game. The Touch Diamond is the latest update of HTC’s Touch smartphone line, which has sold more than 3 million units worldwide since last June, HTC chief marketing officer John Wang told Reuters.
But it is the updates to operating on the 3G network that will make it a true competitor for Apple’s iPhone, which has not yet divulged plans for a 3G model.
According to HTC, the device works on WCDMA networks and with a Qualcomm chipset can hit mobile Internet data rates of up to 7.3 Mbps using HSDPA and HSUPA, upgrades to existing third-generation networks that can boost data transmission speeds.
A statement from HTC said the Touch Diamond features a 2.8-inch VGA touch screen (640 pixels by 480 pixels) and a revamped version of HTC’s TouchFLO software that makes images on the screen seem like they’re in 3D. The touch screen enables access to photos, music, messages, push email and other features.
Along with updating the device, which uses Microsoft (NSDQ:MSFT)’s Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system, the Web browser has been enhanced. Built on an Opera Software engine, the browser lets users zoom and pan into Web sites. Similar to the iPhone, a turn of the device can rotate the Web view.
For more features, the device allows video-calling and features a 3.2 megapixel camera. It uses Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g for wireless Internet access and features Bluetooth access as well. For storage, the Touch Diamond features 4 GB internal, 256 MB flash and 192 MB RAM. Along with all of those features, the Touch Diamond offers GPS, up to 4 hours of talk time and up to 300 hours of standby time, or 100 hours of standby with push email activated.
In a statement, HTC President and CEO Peter Chou said the Touch Diamond will make browsing the Web and using Web-enabled applications on a mobile device as practical and easy as making a phone call.
“Today we mark a new era in mobile phone evolution, an era where beauty and size integrate with uncompromising innovation at broadband speeds,” he said.