Device Arena

At the 2008 GSMA Mobile World Congress, HTC announced the first availability of the HTC Shift. HTC Shift combines the power of Windows Vista and Microsoft Origami Experience 2.0 with always-connected 3G/HSDPA connectivity that features true push email with up to 3 days of battery life.

Microsoft Origami Experience 2.0 enables improved access and consumption of content through the addition of a new finger-friendly browser, RSS Reader and media player. It also includes Origami Now which gives users one-touch access to the information that’s important to them, including e-mail, calendar, weather and to-do lists on one screen that changes according to the time, the day and even their current location.

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We tend to shy away from providing specific shopping advice, as there are already plenty of sites that can take care of you. That said, when a deal like this comes along, we’re happy to spread the news. Woot.com has the Sony UX390 Premium on sale for a cool $1,299. For those that don’t know, the UX390N Premium is, bar none, one of the hottest UMPCs on the market. While we tend to lean towards the OQO Model 02 due to its integrated 3G radio, we think the Sony UX390N is a very, very close second. This is a $2,000 computer, sporting a 1.33 Ghz processor, Windows Vista Business Ultimate, 1GB of RAM, 32GB solid state flash hard drive, 4.5″ touchscreen, and onboard EDGE radio, among many other features. The only real difference between this model and the current UX490N is that the 490 sports a 48GB SSD. These things usually go pretty fast, so if you’re interested we suggest that you head over pretty soon and hit that “buy” button.

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It looks a lot like the LG enV or the Nokia E90, but its nothing like either of those. It flips open to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard, a D-Pad, and a larger screen than the external one.

It runs Windows Mobile 6 Pro and has both 3G and WiFi connectivity option. The 3G comes in the HSDPA flavor and should keep things speedy. There is also a 3.2MP cam somewhere on the device, presumably on the back.

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White Plains, NY - Nokia announced that the new Nokia N810 Internet Tablet has begun shipping nationwide in the United States. With a new slide-out keyboard, built-in GPS, digital audio/video playback and Wi-Fi capability for VoIP calling, the Nokia N810 provides the functionality of a traditional computer but all in one sleek, stylish and portable device.

“More than ever, people want to bring their online communities with them wherever they go - whether it’s on vacation, a business trip, or just around their neighborhood - and the pocketable Nokia N810 Internet Tablet lets consumers do just this,” said Bill Plummer, Vice President, Multimedia, Nokia North America. “As consumer demand increases for new multimedia experiences, Nokia is taking the leadership position to create new devices that meet this demand and maximize the experience for the user.”

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Samsung unveiled four latest Mobile WiMAX devices to the Korean market. One PDA type(SPH-M8200), one mobile convergence device(SPH-P9200), and two USB modem type(SPH-H1300, SWT-200K) devices have been launched. All four Mobile WiMAX devices are currently available through Korea Telecom(KT)’s Mobile WiMAX network.

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At $2,499, Sony’s newest handheld is relatively expensive when compared to most other UMPCs, but if you want the latest model with some extra goodies, your wait is about to end. The Sony UX-490 starts shipping early next week with Vista Business, possibly first thing on Monday, according to MicroPC Talk. There doesn’t appear to be any changes on the outside, but under the hood you’ll at least two upgrades over prior models.

The CPU is now an Intel Core 2 Solo running at the same 1.2 GHz speed as its predecessors. You’ll also find 50% more storage on the flash-based SSD drive since Sony opted to plop a 48 GB drive in lieu of the minimalist 32 GB that older models used. 48 GB just might work for frugal mobile device users that like storing data at home or in the cloud. Best of all, Sony is bundling a Bluetooth GPS receiver as well as two batteries: one standard and one extended. SonyStyle is offering the UX-490 direct as is Amazon (affiliate link, although I’m not seeing the extra battery or GPS mentioned here).

jkOnTheRun

One of our personal highlights of this week’s HTC press events was the presentation of the HTC Shift, which was announced some months ago already but which we hadn’t seen in person so far. What makes the Shift so interesting? Well, it’s the combination of being smaller than a Notebook but more powerful than a Windows Mobile Professional smartphone while still connected through UMTS and HSDPA.

Unfortunately we hadn’t too much time with the Shift but what We’ve seen and was able to test impressed me as much that We are quite sure, that the HTC Shift is my next buy. As you can see on one photo bellow, the keyboard, even if it is a “full” Notebook keyboard isn’t sized to be used with 10 fingers but at the end you might use 2 or 4 fingers only but that’s okay and the compromise you have to pay for a device in this size:

The HTC Shift will be available in localized versions across Europe from November and will costs and estimated retail price of 1199 Euro. HTC hasn’t unveiled any carrier partnerships yet.

the::unwired

HTC has grown up. A good story, nice products and good numbers. HTC is doing well as young player on the European market. According to the numbers of Canalys HTC seemed to have managed to enlarge het marketshare with 14.4 percent in the first quarter, which was only 11.2 percent in the first half of 2006. This increase is costing Nokia her marketshare, which has lost hugely. When we look at the smartphone market that operates on the Windows Mobile system, HTC already is the market leader with a marketshare of 69 percent.

HTC innovates and while doing this they listen to the feedback from the market. Besides this, the company removes the fog around smartphones with a clear story, supported by the media and telecomshops. HTC managed to bring smartphones to the market besides and among the regular phone. With the introduction of four new HTC devices, HTC proves to have become a mature player on the European market.

Where a lot of people look at the smartphone market as a whole, HTC knows how to classify the smartphone market. The regular consumer demands more and more of a phone and is therefore highly interrested in a smartphone, but despite of this they do not want an unaffordable phone. The business user asks just a little bit extra and the costs are less important for them. Messaging is arising and HTC would be crazy to leave this chance behind. Finally, HTC is also able to keep the Business to Business market satisfief. That is why HTC classifies the smartphone market into four sections and has announced a powerful new phone for every section.

Pre-bestseller, the HTC Touch Dual

Deepening in messaging with HTC S730
Messaging is becoming more popular, especially in the younger generation. Messaging is not just sending SMS messages to each other, it also means communicating with MSN on the mobile phone. With the formfactor of a normal mobile phone, HTC yesterday announced the HTC S730 which is the follower of the HTC S710, a device of which HTC sold thousands of the last quarter.

At first sight the smartphone looks just like a normal phone. However, hidden underneath the device is a full QWERTY keybaord with which the messaging lover can go wild. SMS, MSN and e-mail messages are easily typed on this device.

In comparison to its predecessor, the HTC S730 has received quite a big update. The device still operates on the “Windows Mobile 6 Standard Edition” platform, which means that the device works without a touchscreen. The device has received an enormous processor update, with which 400 Mhz of power is now implemented. Besides this, the device is equipped with UMTS and HSDPA support, with which e-mails with photos can be sent or received in only seconds and videocalling has become possible.

The HTC S730 will come to the European shops at the beginning of November. The salesprice of the device is round 449 euro.

HTC shows nerve with alternative HTC Shift
That HTC has become a mature company has become clear from the guts that HTC shows by launching the HTC Shift. The HTC Shift is the s-called Ultra Mobile PC, or UMPS, and with this HTC again aims for the gap that is found between the pocket PCs and the smartphones on one side and the normal computers and laptops on the other side.

HTC has been striving for the leading position in the UMPC market for a long time, that is what became clear earlier this year when HTC presented her first UMPC in the shape of the HTC Athena. The HTC Shift is, according to us, the first attack on the UMPC market because the HTC Shift really knows how to make the mix between smartphones and laptops.

Both Windows Mobile and Windows Vista are present with the HTC Shift. Windows Vista offers its owner with the full functionality of a normal PC. On the other hand, Windows Mobile is there for a great stamina at those moments where there is no electricity near and the device is only used for the “basic functions” such as internet and e-mail. With the SnapVue technology, Shift users can change between the two operating systems that both have their owd advantages.

With a weight of 800 grams, the HTC Shift really can be named an Ultra Mobile PC. The device has a 7 inch touchscreen TFT display and is equipped with a full QWERTY keyboard that is big enough to (after getting used to it) type blindly with ten fingers. The UMPC can cope with UMTS and HSDPA and due to this it is able to have quick access to the internet.

If there is a good future for the UMPCs is unknown because a lot of users appreciate the size of the normal generation of laptops and normal laptops can also be equipped with GSM / UMTS modems. That is why the HTC Shift is a daring product with a high score on the gadget scale. The HTC Shift will reach the shops at the middle of November and will cost about 1200 euro.

Where design is not that important: The HTC P6500
The fourth device that HTC showd was the HTC P6500. Everyone would have walked past the device in a telecomshop because the device did not stand on first row when it comes to design. However, design seems not to be important with this device when we look at the target group on which HTC focusses.

The HTC P6500 is a powerful device that will mainly be sold in the transport and logistic area, the health area or technical services. With the P6500, HTC delivers a “basic product” that companies can expand and adjust to their own specific wishes. The device offers a powerful processor and a good internal memory of 1 gigabyte. The device can cope with WiFi, UMTS and HSDPA and furthermore it offers a GPS receiver.

The device has two SD i/o memorycard slots, with which both memory and hardware expansions are possible, depending on the wishes of the buyer. The HTC P6500 is, as a “basic product”, already that expanded that it can substitute many devices that are used in the transport area, the health area ar the technical services.

The HTC P6500 will reach the market at the end of December. The salesprice of the device is still unknown.

Mobile Phone Helpdesk