If you ogled HTC Touch Diamond, but was turned off by the lack of hardware keyboard, your solution is finally here. Dubbed HTC Touch Pro (previously known as HTC Rafael), it will feature same specs as Touch Diamond - with 7.2mpbs HSDPA, 512MB internal storage, 2.8 VGA screen, 3.2 megapixel camera, GPS and the new TouchFLO 3D UI.
As rumored, HTC unveiled today Touch Diamond, a touchscreen Windows Mobile device featuring VGA screen and other goodies. If official press pictures are any indication, it will be one gorgeous, fully featured device. More details (such as price and availability with carriers other than Orange) to come later. Full press release after the jump:
T-Mobile has released its first software update for Shadow. Available for free, it features some bug fixes and adds new backgrounds, ringtones and even free music tracks from Dave Matthews Band and Avril Lavigne.
Another new feature is audio postcard where you can take a picture, record a commentary and send it off to your friends.
Bell Mobility is the first carrier in North America to release a white version of HTC Touch. It doesn’t sound too different from the previous version, as this is just a cosmetic upgrade. It can be yours for just $399.95 without contract, or $99.95 with a 3 year contract.
T-Mobile Shadow features a 2 megapixel camera (without any flash): image quality is ok, not spectacular nor crappy like the old VGA cameraphones. Here are some samples of shots taken with my camera featuring both indoor and outdoor settings.
T-Mobile Shadow runs on Windows Mobile 6 Standard edition, which means the screen isn’t touch sensitive. Instead, hardware keys are used for navigation. Standard buttons are present: 2 select keys, Home key (that returns you to the home screen, obviously), back key, call and end call keys are on the front of the device. Left side has volume buttons, and right side of the device features camera button as well as configurable button - I set it to messaging when you press it, and recently used applications list when you hold it.
A different aspect of this device is scrollwheel. Unlike the iPod scrollwheel, this one is mechanical and allows you to quickly go down or up, perfect for going through a lot of emails or songs. It also functions as directional pad so you can press up, down, left and right if you don’t want to use the scrolling function. Overall it’s a great idea to give you the choice: new user may be confused at the beginning but will quickly realize both methods are suitable for different uses.
When you open the slider, you’ll be greeted with 20-key keyboard instead of a full QWERTY one, which means 2 letters must share 1 key. With predictable input and auto correction enabled, this isn’t too much of an issue but it is much easier to type special characters on a QWERTY keyboard. For example, with T-Mobile Shadow, you must go into the symbols menu for equal sign, parenthesis and even apostrophes…
Software interface wise, T-Mobile and HTC created a custom look and function that is much nicer than the boring standard interface of Windows Mobile 6 devices. The only issue is it takes too many key presses to go where you want to go, so I reverted back to the default view.
Recently I got rid of my T-Mobile Dash and switched to the all-new T-Mobile Shadow (a.k.a. HTC Juno). As it is a newer model, it features some considerable spec upgrades: both RAM and ROM have been doubled, and while the processor remains the same, this ensures that applications are more responsive, and more applications can be running at the same time. Camera has been upgraded to 2 mega-pixel camera, and the display is in portrait direction, changing to landscape only when you take pictures.
Form factor is much more attractive than Dash, and when you open the slider it reveals a 20-key keyboard that’s made popular by BlackBerry devices: this is about the only downgrade from Dash in terms of hardware as full QWERTY keyboard is much easier to type on. Lack of full keys mean some of the most used symbols such as ‘ and parenthesis are no longer easily retrievable.
T-Mobile Shadow comes in 2 colors which are definitely different from the usual silver and black devices: I opted for copper which looked more professional, and sage is also available. Even though the Shadow doesn’t target the business market, use of Windows Mobile 6 (Standard) means plenty of productivity software as well as Exchange push-email are guaranteed.
HTC keeps releasing models in its Touch line of smartphone. Latest entry is Touch Cruise which features a touchscreen (duh) as well as built-in GPS with TomTom software for all your “crusing” needs. Rest of the device includes 3-megapixel camera, HSDPA, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, microSD expansion and of course Windows Mobile 6.
Look for HTC Touch Cruise from your favourite European carriers, or unlocked directly from HTC.
HTC has consistantly and reliably created high-quality Windows Mobile phones. Its latest creation seems to outdo so many of its devices with a sleek package, high-performance and technology, and even a low price. HTC Shadow, featuring a 2 megapixel camera, wi-fi, 2.6″ QVGA screen, all in a slim slider format with pull-out BlackBerry-style 2-keys-per-letter keyboard.
Look for this device to hit the US T-Mobile this Wednesday October 31, 2007 at just $200 with 2 year contract, or $150 with 2 year unlimited data plan.
Update:
As promised, it is now available for purchase: retail price is $349, and you can get your own Shadow in brown or green. A bit odd choice of colors for mobile phones, but it certainly beats having another black or silver phone on the market. Maybe Microsoft’s own Zune is suddenly making brown fashionable…
Some people have all the luck in the world and can get things before the general public does… gottabemobile.com’s Hugo Ortega reviews HTC Shift, which is a Windows Mobile and UMPC rolled into one. It can boot either Windows Vista or Windows Mobile thanks to its dual processors. Check out the parts 2, 3 and 4 of the 40 minute long video review after the jump:
