Pocketables

HTC HD2 launches in Europe and Asia, confirmed for early 2010 in US

One of the most highly anticipated smartphones since it was unveiled, HTC has announced that the HD2 is now shipping in Taiwan and the European markets. It will also become available throughout Asia in the coming month. Notably for our US-based readers, the company has confirmed the handset's availability for the US market in early 2010 with a major US carrier rumored to be T-Mobile.

Viewed by many as the latest ace in the Windows Mobile family in the onslaught of Android and the iPhone, the HD2 features many firsts for a WinMo smartphone. These include a 4.3" capacitive touch screen supporting multi-touch gestures, the HTC Sense user interface, and a 1GHz Snapdragon processor powering it all in a very slim, sleek package. The team over at Engadget have a brief hands-on feature with lots of great photos that I'm sure anyone who's interested in the HD2 has already viewed multiple times.

Although personally I have been less interested in WinMo devices in the past, there is no doubt that the HD2 is a very compelling piece of hardware with awesome specifications, especially with the Sense UI greatly streamlining the user experience and that stunning multi-touch screen. The smartphone space is getting increasingly interesting and competitive with the Motorola Droid, Xperia X10 and HTC HD2 joining the fray, and based on the announcement it sounds like the X10 and HD2 will be going head-to-head come Q1 2010. We would love to hear your thoughts on which one takes your interest!

Verizon adds HTC Droid Eris to Android family

While Verizon's official announcement of the Motorola Droid garnered most of today's headlines, freshly leaked information regarding a less expensive Android device, the HTC Droid Eris, is also making waves.

The Droid Eris appears to be a rebranded HTC Desire. Information is somewhat limited, but rumored features include a 528MHz Qualcomm processor, 3.2" LCD touchscreen, 5-megapixel camera, and 3G connectivity. Reportedly, it also features Android 1.6 instead of 2.0, the latest version.  

Overshadowed by the Motorola Droid when it comes to both hardware and software, the rumored $99 price tag is what is generating enthusiasm for the Droid Eris. If this proves to be true, it will be the lowest-priced Android device on the market.

Android Guys posted pictures from a training site for Verizon sales representatives, which to most imply the Droid Eris should be available soon. Speculation sets the release date as November 6, but only time will tell.

[Gizmodo]

My HTC Hero from Sprint is finally here

Sometimes I'm amazed by my patience while waiting for new gadgets to arrive, but when there's a new smartphone coming out that I have been anxiously awaiting and a way to get it a few days early, I spring into action. Today was one of those days, so I decided to brave the nasty weather here in Texas and head out in search of my first Android device.

It seems that Best Buy is offering an early purchase of the HTC Hero from Sprint to Reward Zone members, valid either Friday or Saturday, before it goes on sale to the general public this Sunday. Being an RZ member, I immediately decided to take advantage of the offer instead of ordering from Sprint.

Best Buy sells the Hero for an out-the-door price of $179.99 on a new or upgraded two-year contract, with no mail-in rebates required. This is a much better deal than ordering directly through Sprint Telesales, where the phone is $279.99 and you must wait for a $100 mail-in rebate to drop the price down.

I've really been wanting an Android device ever since seeing the T-Mobile G1 last year and so far in my limited testing, the Hero looks like a very nice alternative to the other smartphones out there, especially the one hailing from Cupertino. Many reviewers across the web seem to agree; this is one solid device on both the hardware and software front.

This weekend I'll be busy trying out all of the features on the phone, so I should have a mini-review very soon. In the meantime, if there are any questions about the Hero, just ask in the comments and I'll try and answer them for you.

HTC Whitestone and Thoth details emerge

Back in January, a member of the PPCGeeks forum put out a slew of images believed to be HTC's roadmap for 2009. Of most interest to the mobile computing crowd were the Nokia Nseries-esque Whitestone and the proper upgrade to the Advantage X7501 (the X7510 was just a refresh), the Thoth.

Today, WMPoweruser shares what we've all been waiting for since first seeing the images: more details. According to information obtained in February by Sina.com (translated), September will be an important month for both devices.

HTC turns another iPhone into an iPod touch

I don't know what it is about HTC-built smartphones, but they keep commanding me to cripple my iPhones by giving their SIMs to another device, thus becoming WiFi-only glorified iPod touches. First it was the AT&T Tilt (HTC TyTN II), which drew me away from the first-gen iPhone last December.

And now it's the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 (made by HTC), almost exactly one year later, officially taking over the position my iPhone 3G has held since July.

HTC is literally my iPhone killer.

Stay tuned for a completely self-indulgent X1 unboxing. [Update: Here we go!]

On the run with the HTC Shift X9500

Although I've had my HTC Shift X9500 for a few months now and have been using it daily, today is actually the first time I'm using it away from home. I've taken it out before, sure, but I've never used it for mobile blogging.

I work almost exclusively from home, you see, so although I love mobile technology, I'm generally not a mobile user of it. I suppose you could say that I'm the anti-mobile portable tech enthusiast, the jklOnTheCouch to James and Kevin's jkOnTheRun, if you will.

HTC Shift X9501 software update to enable GPS through Telenav in SnapVUE

There's been a bit of confusion about whether or not the HTC Shift actually has functional GPS housed in it, particularly after the curious listing found at eXpansys last week, so I'd like to take a moment now to break it all down and clarify what's going on.

Opera Mobile 9.5 on HTC Shift liberated SnapVUE

I suspect that xda-developers have something to do with this, but Pocketables Forum member Tosser directed me to the ad-riddled iPmart forum to check out the four Windows Mobile CAB files of the unreleased and much anticipated Opera Mobile 9.5 (build 1126).

I downloaded the VGA version immediately and installed it on my HTC Advantage, all the while wondering whether it would work on my SnapVUE-liberated HTC Shift. I assumed it would, as the liberation turns SnapVUE into full-blown Windows Mobile 6, but since Opera 8.65 doesn't function as it should (no idea why, as it performs beautifully on the Advantage), I had my doubts.

eXpansys selling GPS version of HTC Shift

Well, this is peculiar. Just as I was about to write up that eXpansys is now selling the HTC Shift X9500 for $1385 (MSRP is $1499), I noticed a little blurb at the bottom of the product page that said "If you like the HTC Shift but want to add GPS, check out the HTC Shift GPS Version."

Um, the what?

There is no GPS version of the Shift! Although GPS is on the Qualcomm chipset taking care of SnapVUE, it isn't functional (hackers are still working on it, I think). Yet, somehow eXpansys is still selling it for $1564.95, listing "Internal GPS antenna" and "Standalone GPS" as part of the unit's specs, and confusing customers. Anyone know what's going on here?

UPDATE: See eXpansys and HTC's explanation in the comments below.

HTC Advantage X7510 coming in late June for $1299

Since Qualcomm's legal issues are still preventing the HTC Advantage X7510 from being sold in the US, the only way to get your hands on the 16GB Windows Mobile 6.1 device will be to pay through the nose for it. Dynamism, for example, is expecting their first shipment of the X7510 in late June and will send you one in exchange for $1299. Same goes for On The Go Solutions, whose stock is supposedly due to arrive tomorrow.

Although preorders were already priced at $1300 back in March, it's pretty uncommon for such prices (which are often inflated to take advantage of anxious customers who can't wait for official pricing to be announced) to actually stick. I thought paying $850 for my X7501 was outrageous, so I'm going to have to pass on its successor. What about you?