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Windows Phones Coming Out in September

July 9th, 2010

Two new Windows Phone 7 devices have been added to the list of new smart phones coming out this September. Apparently, despite Microsoft’s move to bring out their OS one month in advance, many phone makers are still planning to keep up with the new OS.

Nokia’ E7 is one interesting WP7 device as the form factor is something that plenty of users would enjoy using. The phone is much like the LG Panther – it is also a type two chassis and comes with a slide out QWERTY keyboard. However, the Nokia E7 adds in the extra feature of being used like a mini-computer; it folds in like the N97.

This new form is pretty good for users who tend to use Microsoft’s Office Mobile apps a lot as it makes typing and making documents a lot easier than having to hold the phone up the whole time.

The HTC Gold is a high end smart phone that will be using Microsoft’s new OS. With a rumored 1.2 GHz CPU, this device is expected to have other matching hardware specs that would put it on top of the WP7 food chain. As one might suspect, this handset is the same phone as the previously leaked HTC Mondrian. No word has been given on why the device has had a name change, but HTC Gold certainly has more charm. Though probably most well known for Android devices like the HTC Wildfire, HTC have worked with Microsoft platforms before, having released the impressive HD2.

It is a pretty large move for Microsoft to adjust their release date by a full month, but it is something that would make their fans happier. The handset has been announced since mid February this year and it has been a very long wait. Even with all the updates and details about the upcoming OS, it is about time that they committed a final release date. WP7 will be bringing together Zune, Bing, XBL Games and more.

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Leaked Images Show the HTC Vision Ready for Action

July 7th, 2010

Well, the HTC Vision is not really ready for action, no OS has been installed in the handset and there really is no way of telling if the device’s internal components are already complete. But looking at the images alone, one cannot help but hope that the engineers would pop in a ROM of the Android Éclair and finally show off an HTC device that packs a much demanded physical keyboard.

The slide out QWERTY keyboard has been a very elusive feature among HTC Android fans. While Motorola has already come out with the Milestone (known as the DROID in the US), and Sony Ericsson has recently offered the X10 Mini Pro, many would still want an HTC Android device over other manufacturers as the phone maker has been a constant in the development of the Android OS.

Taiwan based HTC has been a founding member of the Open Handset Alliance, the first manufacturer to create an Android smart phone and they also made Google’s Nexus One as well.

For those who have never used a physical keyboard, the charm of the feature lies in the simplicity of its purpose: it helps people type faster. While it is pretty common to hear of people who can dish out hundreds of characters in a few seconds of a using a T9 keypad, the average person is not as fast. Virtual keyboards often suffice for quick typing requirements such as for Tweets or simple one-liners; but for making long forum posts or personal emails, having a physical keyboard changes the experience to a more convenient level.

In the meanwhile, haptic technology is pushing the limits of how a touch screen can emulate a physical keyboard. While the technology is quite impressive -using a combination of audio output and sometimes, vibration feedback; the technology is still a long way from a real slide out keyboard.

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Your Social Mobile: The HTC Desire

July 2nd, 2010

Nowadays, more and more manufacturers seem to be bombarding their mobiles with all sorts of unique features just to be able to get a competitive advantage. Some of these said features are truly technological marvels that definitely make life a bit easier, but some are just downright excessive.

Despite all these, what still remains at the heart of an exceptional mobile (or at least what ought to remain) is still its ability to connect its users to the world. The HTC Desire definitely does more than just that as it keeps its users in touch with the rest of the world in more ways than one.

Basic Connectivity

The HTC Desire is a quad band 2G device that is compatible in the GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 networks and also functions as a dual band device (HSDPA 900 / 2100) over the 3G network. All these numbers simply mean that it is likely that the Desire will work regardless of where in the world you may be.

Top of the line GPRS, EDGE, and HSDPA data connectivity features guarantee high speed mobile internet speeds which is complemented by the Desire’s Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g WLAN capability.

Applications

The HTC Desire is also loaded with awesome applications that’ll make sure that you stay connected. One such application is the new People widget which allows you to group your contacts as you wish, giving you one-touch access to your most important contacts. There’s also the Friend Stream app which is a social networking program that provides users real-time updates from the most popular social networks such as Twitter and Facebook.

More than a Mobile

However, don’t let all these connectivity features throw you off and make you think that the HTC Desire is nothing more than a “socially-inclined” type of mobile. In fact, it has one of the most impressive spec sheets in the business and the likes of its 1 GHz processor, 3.7-inch high-res display, 5-Megapixel camera, and Android operating system, are just some of the many features and functions of this truly remarkable Smartphone.

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Q3 Launch for HTC Desire’s Android 2.2 Update

July 1st, 2010

A general wave of disappointment has just washed over the many Android smart phone owners. These are the first series of announcements regarding delays in update releases. The first mobile phone to take the brunt of the wave is the HTC Desire. Despite the fact that many expected a Froyo patch for the Desire to be available by now, it seems that Google is still delaying the launch and has announced that the update for the Android device will not appear until later this Q3.

The Desire is not the only smart phone affected. Other HTC Android 2.1 smart phones are expected to get updates around August this year.

The reason why there is so much fuss about the Desire’s delayed update is that many consider it the benchmark for other non-Google branded Android smart phones; that is if the Desire is getting an update, then updates for other devices will surely follow soon.

For now, only the Google Nexus One has the update for the new Android Froyo. The reason for the delays has not been explained by either HTC or Google, but many believe that they are simply biding their time. Google has had no qualms releasing updates with compatibility issues (a constant problem for the Android as there is a wide variety of phones that use the OS), so there really is no reason to hold back on the launch date.

Another reason why the Desire is a very important phone for many is because it practically serves as a non-Google substitute to the Nexus One. And considering that HTC manufactured both devices, the Desire is a pretty good choice too. The specs are even the same. Both phones have 3.7 inch AMOLED capacitive touch screen displays, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 1GHz processor and a 5 mega pixel snapper.

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HTC Wildfire Set to Spread the Android Wave

May 20th, 2010

If there is one thing that the Android lacks, it is general mass appeal. Sure, many of us in the tech industry see the wonderful green robot as the symbol of the powerful and versatile open source operating system from Google, but for many mobile phone users, it is just another high-tech brand.

The HTC Wildfire however is set to change the public perception of the Android from being a tech geek icon into something more generally loved -thanks to its many social networking and sharing features. Of course, it also helps that the phone is pretty well balanced in terms of specs. At 528 MHz, the CPU is hardly as fast as the recently launched Desire, but it certainly makes for a cheaper phone that is friendly to everyone’s budget.

HTC has released the full details on the phone’s functions and a quick look at the social networking features in its official announcement:

“HTC Wildfire helps you stay connected with those who are most important to you through HTC Sense, a user experience focused on putting people at the centre by making phones work in a more simple and natural way. HTC Wildfire enables you to stay up to date with your friends’ posts, comments, alerts and photos, wherever you are.”

The Wildfire brings a new function called the Friend Stream. This feature gives users a live feed of content that is being run on their social networks. The big bonus here is that viewing threaded conversations and other bits of information is easily done without having to click through several pages of links just to figure out what your friends are talking about in their latest social network updates. At the same time, this feature also makes it easy to broadcast your latest news. The HTC Wildfire is expected to come out in store shelves later this third quarter of 2010.

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HTC Brings Two High End Androids

February 23rd, 2010

HTC DesireThere are plenty of new Android smart phones that are heading our way this 2010, and it comes as to no surprise that two of the most anticipated devices will be coming from HTC.

HTC has had a long history with the Google Android operating system. The Taiwanese manufacturer is one of the founding members of the Open Handset Alliance and they have been the first company to make smart phones that use the OS. The HTC Dream and Magic phones are, until now, some of the most impressive touch screen devices (though no word of updates for the old G1 phones have been reported). HTC is also the manufacturer behind the very first Google branded Android device, the Nexus One.

Recently, the HTC Bravo and the HTC Legend were both confirmed for a March release date and the Mobile World Congress last week revealed that the Bravo would be renamed as the Desire.

The Desire is one of the most anticipated devices this year because it has all the hardware features of the Google Nexus One, but is significantly easier to get. Google has made the Nexus One exclusively available on the Google Online store. This makes the Desire a more viable alternative. It comes with a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, a 5 mega pixel camera and a 3.7 inch AMOLED capacitive touch screen.

The Legend on the hand is a smart phone of choice for the more budget concerned buyer. This device serves as the successor to the HTC Hero and comes with a stylish aluminum casing. The phone has a 600 MHz Qualcomm CPU, a 5 mega pixel camera and a 3.2 inch AMOLED capacitive touch screen.

Both HTC devices combine the new Android OS with the HTC Sense user interface.

Read more about the HTC Desire and Legend at Pocket Lint.

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HTC Takes Dibs on Windows Phone 7

February 19th, 2010

HTCThe new Windows Phone 7 has proven to be beyond anything many critics have expected. And despite some concerns about the system, everyone agrees that Microsoft’s mobile division has certainly outdone itself with this new platform.

Of course, there is still plenty of time before the system comes out and Microsoft can pretty much cover most of the initial concerns regarding the OS. They have even signed up some pretty impressive partners among mobile network operators and mobile phone manufacturers to work on their device. Orange Mobile is one notable name that stood out among the sponsors –timed exclusivity perhaps? We will have to wait and see.

Anyway, speaking of tie ups, Taiwanese manufacturer HTC has been Microsoft’s long time partner in the mobile industry. Despite being a key part of the development of rival Google and the Android operating system, they have also been a major partner of Microsoft even during the early times of the Pocket PC. It makes sense that HTC will be making the very first Windows Phone 7 device. For now, no initial specs have been announced.

Windows Phone 7 segregates phone functions into several categories. “People” will give you a comprehensive view of contacts, social network feeds and updates as well as access to messages and other connectivity related functions. “Music and video” delivers access to media files for playback, tagging, sorting and of course, playlists. People familiar with Zune will find the system present here too. “Games” is of course, game applications. For now, there are no confirmed game titles for the system, but it is known that the Xbox Live Games service will be available here.

Office is pretty much empty for now –which might be a cause of distress for many business clients, but hopefully, Windows Mobile will be picking up on this later on.

Read more about HTC and Windows Phone 7 at Mobile Today UK.

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HTC’s New Phones, Still with Sense

February 18th, 2010

HTC HD MiniIf there is one major ingredient to the success of the HTC HD2 Windows Mobile smart phone, it is in the use of the HTC Sense user interface on the device.

Many people are already familiar with the major disappointment that is WinMo 6.5 and it s previous incarnations. Simply put, the user interface was pretty much backwards. WinMo designers opted to rely on stylus based user navigation which meant that there were plenty of small icons, buttons and narrow tabs. It was not an appropriate device to be used with a capacitive touch screen which used stubby fingers to operate.

The HTC HD2 used a 1GHz Snapdragon processor and a capacitive touch screen. In order to make WinMo easy to use, HTC made use of its proprietary user interface, the Sense UI. Until now, HTC continues to use the Sense user interface for its smart phones. The Google Android devices HTC Desire and HTC Legend are confirmed to be using the Sense UI.

The two Androids popped up last Sunday at the Mobile World Congress held at Barcelona, Spain. They sported the initial reported specs for the Bravo (now the Desire) and the Legend which was leaked in the HTC 2010 roadmap.

The Desire runs a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU and it comes with a 3.7 inch AMOLED capacitive touch screen display. The Legend on the other hand runs a slower 600 MHz CPU and a smaller 3.2 inch AMOLED capacitive touch screen.

HTC also showed off a new device, the HTC HD2 Mini which is also a WinMo phone like the HD2. The HD Mini will be using the newly released Windows Mobile 6.5.3 Maldives operating system. So far, it has yet to be confirmed if the HD2 will also use the Sense UI.

Learn more about the HTC Legend and Desire at Mobile Choice UK.

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HTC Smart: A Specifications Overview

February 5th, 2010

HTC SmartThis spring, HTC Smart will be prepared to hit the markets in Europe and Asia.  A new chapter in the book of HTC will be created with the enticing device.  The 240 x 320 pixel touch-screen is pretty impressive and it has a camera that operates on 3 MP with flash.

The manufacturers of HTC promises the consumers that the phone will have the features needed as if they were opting for any other smartphone.  The dialling will be simplified and the phone is aware of the location that it is in.  I hope they have the same feature that allows one to locate the phone if it is lost.  Typically, the location-awareness of the phone allows the phone to adapt to the location such as; time, weather and possibly language.

HTC Smart 2The features are still advanced and the phone being able to adapt the time according to location means the phone resembles significance in intelligence.  The button for searching Google will be available and users will be able to keep up with their Twitter accounts, calendars, messages, and even their dialling will be simplified.  The search button should work the way any search engine does.

The users will be able to use multi-touch on the screen; which will provide easy accessibility at the whim of a fingertip.  All of the apps will be able to fit on the screen without having to close down apps just to use another app.  Pretty much, there should be no agitating scrolling left-right-up-down needed.  Consumers will be able to breeze through their photos, text and bookmarks.

HTC Smart keyboardThe specs on the phone are that the phone works on a BREW platform; weight is 108 grams; touch screen 2.8 inches; 256 megabytes of ready-access-memory.  Download apps and programs is fairly fast and works like a broadband with the speeds of 3.6 Mbps and upload times is a little slow at 385 kbps.  Many formats are supported by the phone, to name some video formats: MP4, 3GP, 3G2, M4V.  The battery life is an astonishing 6 hours of talk time with 25 days of stand-by time.

With the stand-by time being 25 days, I guess the owners can have faith that there phone is somewhere nearby and alive for 25 days; typically, this is useful if someone is trying locate their phone by calling it, then they can expect it to stay alive.  Generally, the phone is targeted at a larger market base by appealing to consumers with the phones relatively low-price.  This is a mediocre phone at a small price but definitely worth is if one is running on a tight budget.  This rings more true in the environment of how the world operates.  People run their businesses on the Internet and they could find it useful to be able to check their email for important updates concerning their work.  This would be a good starting phone for people who are trying to upgrade their progress and if they want to take it easy on the spending until they are more financially successful.

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Camera Issues With The HTC HD2

November 24th, 2009

HTC HD2Everyone has seen an annoying pinkish tint present on quite a few of our camera samples taken with the HTC HD2 and if you are fighting the possibility of obtaining one then you need to read further.

HTC support has officially acknowledged the issue and also admitted that it’s a hardware fault that cannot be corrected even with a software fix. The recommendation made was that every user experiencing such issue at the center of the camera should visit their local store where it was purchased and organize for a replacement or exchange.

Going through our review of the HTC HD2, the camera issue was highlighted although it was though that it was a problem affecting only some units but it is no longer news that the defect is now widespread and calls for a concerted effort to avail the situation.

Take a quick glance at the image samples taken below and notice the pink spot at the center. This is best visible as a thumbnail view.

It was gathered that some HD2 users have already contacted the HTC support over this issue and the support team also recommended exchange of the mobile device at their local store. Now, one can only imagine the outcome if all the sales outlet are plagued with the same issue.

Fortunately, there are quite some HD2 owners whose mobile device do not possess this malfunction. The image below shows some pics taken by those devices. You can compare with the pictures above.

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