HTC announces 2007 Q1 lineup of Windows Mobile devices
My favorite Windows Mobile device provider is HTC (High Tech Computer) since they keep releasing high quality products with some cool innovations. I love my T-Mobile Dash (HTC Excalibur) device and have had lots of HTC products in the past. I posted a couple of HTC photos in my Windows Mobile 6 image gallery, but now we have some more detailed information on specific products from HTC that will be coming the first quarter of 2007. HTC issued a press release announcing the HTC Advantage (X7500), the HTC S710, and the HTC P3350.
| Image Gallery: Check out the new HTC Q1 2007 lineup announced at 3GSM. |  | ||||
The HTC Advantage (X7500) was formerly rumored to be called the HTC Athena and is a large Pocket PC Phone Edition device with a 5 inch VGA display, 8GB hard drive, 3 megapixel camera, integrated 3G, WiFi, and Bluetooth radios, miniSD slot, and battery with a reported 8 hours of run time. GPS is also integrated in the device with TomTom Navigator 6 software. A magnetically attachable QWERTY keyboard is also available that attaches onto the front of the device when it is not in use. The device will launch with Windows Mobile 5.0, but an update to Windows Mobile 6 will be made available. This monster will set you back about US$1,000 or more for an unlocked device and a subsidized price may come in a couple hundred less. T-Mobile in Europe will launch this device first as the T-Moble Ameo in March. This device is too big to carry as a phone and with my Samsung Q1 UMPC already in tow, I personally am not interested in this new device.
The new device that does interest me is the HTC S710 (Vox) Windows Mobile 6 standard device. This device appears to be a candy bar form factor Smartphone, but then sliding the display and keypad to the left reveals a full QWERTY keyboard for landscape text entry. I like the slim and compact form of my T-Mobile Dash, but there is definitely a learning curve and technique to hit the small buttons on the keyboard and the HTC S710 keyboard looks much more user friendly. The device also sports integrated WiFi and Bluetooth radios and a 2 megapixel digital camera. Orange will be launching the S710 as the Orange SPV E650 in the first half of 2007.
The HTC P3350 (Love) takes some features and design layout from the existing P3300, but drops the integrated GPS radio. The HTC P3350 includes Windows Mobile 6, integrated FM radio, 10-band equalizer, 128MB ROM and RAM, WiFi and Bluetooth radios, 2 megapixel camera and microSD slot. I believe this device also has the cool navigation trackball in the center of the directional pad, like the BlackBerry Pearl and the side jog dial, but could not confirm this information. The P3350 should also be available in March.