HTC slides out Touch Pro
Diamond + keyboard
Touchscreen typing isn’t for everybody, so HTC has remodelled its new Touch Diamond handset to create one that also has a slide-out Qwerty keyboard.
HTC's Touch Pro: the Diamond with a keyboard
HTC’s calling its latest phone the Touch Pro, despite it looking almost identical to the Touch Diamond – aside from the slide-out keyboard, of course. That’s not to say that HTC has taken away touchscreen navigation, because the Pro’s 2.8in display can still be operated by touch alone. The phone runs Windows Mobile 6.1.
A 3.2-megapixel camera is built into the talker, with pictures, videos and music all be stored on Micro SD memory cards. Bluetooth’s also on board if you want to send snaps to a nearby pal. Or, you can just sit on the sofa and surf the web without firing up your laptop because the Touch Pro supports 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and HSDPA downloads of up 7.2Mb/s.
A 3.2-megapixel camera and HSDPA are two of the Pro's talking points
If you’re out and about and suddenly find yourself in an unknown location, then the phone also features both GPS and Assisted GPS to help you get back on track.
Should you still want an old-fashioned chinwag with someone, then the touch Pro will sustain conversations for up to eight hours, HTC claimed.
HTC’s Touch Pro will be available in Europe in the late summer. A price hasn’t been tapped out yet.
COMMENTS
More like X1
I think HTC is taking on the upcoming Sony X-1, rather than the Jesus Phone.
I went with the HTC Touch rather than the Apple offering despite the "cool factor" and the UI, because I want to be able to add a few apps and sync data, documents and PIM decently with my phone. WinMob is fiddly and clunky, this Touch Pro is as slick as it gets today. And WinMob is available and works today.
We'll see what happens tomorrow..
@M
It's smaller in all dimensions and weight than the TYTN II, with twice the ROM and RAM, and VGA screen instead of QVGA.
@M
It's a full touch screen device... think HTC's take on the iPhone, much slicker than a TyTN II, latest version of the OS, built in storage of 4Gb (or more in this case)
Have a look on their website there is a full demo of of the Diamond....
@James Bassett
Read the forums of HTC products on the Expansys website. Not an uncommon problem - you press the "Call Begin" button on the headset or the phone to answer the call, and the headset is immediately dropped from Bluetooth. This is a repeatable problem with my current Motorola headset and the Touch, and others have had it with the Polaris and other headsets. Could be a Windows Mobile issue, might not be. At any rate, it happens so consistently that it is not a one off.
As for video accelleration, if you are happy having the cost of the video capabilities included with your phone (in the price of the chipset), and having the transistors dedicated to it sapping your battery (quite a few), and not getting any benefit from it - well then great for you. I am NOT, especially as the resolution of the screens continue to rise. This is not a technology problem - this is a cost cutting measure from HTC, and hardheadedness from Qualcomm. They jointly need to strike a deal with on the license fees and get it done. Rather than $100,000 per device that Qualcomm is demanding, say pay $500,000 to cover the entire line plus an annual annuity of $100,000. Or some such. But to say that you are happy with the current situation smacks of meekness or fanboi-ism. Only if customers continue to demand it loudly and consistently will HTC and Qualcomm recognize the negative brand image this is generating for BOTH of them.
